Hawaii Federation of Japanese Labor

The Hawaii Federation of Japanese Labor was a labor union in Hawaii formed in 1921. In the early 1900s, Japanese migrants in Hawaii were the majority of plantation workers in the sugar cane field. These individuals faced low wages and long work days, as well as frequent discrimination. A day in the life of a laborer in Hawaii during this period was controlled almost entirely by the plantation owner; and in addition, many laborers were bound by contract to a 3-5 year period, and faced repercussions if this contract was deserted. Alongside the Japanese, there was a very high population of Filipino field workers who advocated for higher wages through the Filipino Labor Union of Hawaii. The Filipino Labor Union presented for higher wages and threatened a worker strike in 1919, and inspired founder Noboru Tsutsumi to organize the Federation of Japanese Labor in 1921.

Background and history

In 1835, the plantation economy began in Hawaii, as Bostonian William Hooper arrived on the island of Kauai, establishing the first plantation throughout the islands. The Hawaiian Islands at this time were under the rule of King Kamehameha III. Traditional Hawaii land ownership practices were forever altered by the Gold Rush, the American Civil War, the Great Mahele, and the Reciprocity Treaty. Plantations throughout the Hawaii Islands were different than the continental United States and islands in the Caribbean in the fact that they paid their labourers, who were both male and female.

Before the 1919 and 1920 formation of the Federation of Japanese Labor, there were several strikes organized to protest the abuse endured by European plantation owners, notably the Oahu Sugar Strike of 1920.