Russell Okata, who has led the state's largest labor union for 26 years, is stepping down in a ceremony today.

Okata, a power player in state politics, will turn over the top post at the Hawai'i Government Employees Association to Randy Perreira, the union's deputy executive director.

Perreira, who is also the Hawai'i AFL-CIO president, becomes HGEA's fourth leader.

Okata officially retires at the end of the year after 38 years at HGEA, which has grown from 27,000 members in 1981 to today's 43,000, including retirees and associate members.

He started working at the union in 1970 and rose through the ranks as an administrative officer and deputy executive director before becoming executive director in 1981.

"Okata leaves behind a legacy of strong political action, which has been one of the hallmarks of HGEA," the union said in a statement.

He led the union out on strike for 12 days in 1994 and gave up the right to strike after successfully lobbying the Legislature for binding arbitration to settle labor contract disputes.

In the 2004 election, a grass-roots campaign by Okata and union members helped Democrats unseat five Republican incumbents in the House and reverse previous GOP gains.

HGEA represents state and county government employees in seven bargaining units, including white-collar employees and administrators at the University of Hawai'i.

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