Without a strong union those that work for the media are screwed. On the Big Island we practically have no real news because of the monopoly of Oahu Publications, who also owns our "papers," and their efforts to get rid of the union. 

Because our East side paper, The Hawaii Tribune Herald, had strong union representation they have been practically closed, and remain in name only, while the paper is produced on the West side of the island by the staff of the West Hawaii Today (WHT). 

When a concerted effort was made to unionize the WHT paper some of the staff, notably Jason Armstrong who recently showed up as a writer for Civil Beat (CB), didn't see the wisdom in doing so and destroyed any possibility of the paper's staff remaining organized against a cut throat management and ownership. As such we do not have any real paper and rely on CB for our news.

I hope the staff of the Star-Advertiser can endure. Though their union doesn't seem strong enough for the task. God Bless them!