Anthony Rutledge, former leader of Local 5, passes at age 78

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MARCH 25, 2025

Former union leader Anthony Rutledge dies at age 78

HONOLULU, HI–Anthony Rutledge, retired former leader of Unite Here Local 5, passed away Monday evening after several weeks of illness.  He was 78.

Tony Rutledge spent his life working for Local 5 as a business agent and organizer, as an elected officer, and as the elected head of the union for 17 years. During his years leading Local 5, he also served as a Vice-President of the HERE International Union. He was known as a skilled negotiator, and led union members in a number of significant strikes, including the statewide hotel strike in 1990.

Tony was trained by his father Arthur Rutledge, the founder of Local 5, and he also worked for the Hawaii Teamsters during the years when the elder Rutledge was the leader of both the hotel workers and the Teamsters unions.

In 1990, Tony Rutledge won a contested board election and assumed leadership of Unity House, Inc., a holding company for union assets.  Under his leadership, Unity House instituted retiree, scholarship and other programs for hotel workers and teamsters.

Retired since 2000, Tony has focused on his family and family businesses in recent years.

Local 5 expresses our appreciation for Tony Rutledge’s many years of service to our union, and our heartfelt condolences to his wife, children and many grandchildren.

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About UNITE HERE Local 5

Local 5 represents 10,000 workers throughout Hawaii who work in the hospitality, health care and food service industries and is an affiliate of UNITE HERE, an international union that represents over 250,000 workers throughout the U.S. and Canada. For more information, visit www.unitehere5.org.