Aloha workers discuss options

Hundreds line up for assistance

Laura Darrow held her 4-month-old boy Bailey as she and about 600 displaced Aloha Airlines employees and their family members crammed into a large conference room at the Sheraton Waikiki yesterday (ATA employees were also invited to attend), where the state's rapid response team held informational sessions to discuss their options.

"There's a lot of uncertainty for the future," Darrow said, a teacher at St. John Vianney School in Kailua, whose husband, Robert, a pilot with Aloha Airlines, was among 1,900 employees who were laid off after the company decided to shut down its passenger service.

"Our primary concern is health care," said Darrow, who took a year off from teaching to care for their son.

Health coverage was the main concern among many who attended the sessions at the Sheraton Waikiki yesterday. Sessions were also held at various sites on the neighbor islands.

Some voiced their worries to officials about what they are going to do as they deal with a sick child or family members who are expected to undergo surgery shortly.

Officials informed attendees that a COBRA notice was mailed to displaced employees yesterday to address medical benefits. Displaced employees were encouraged to apply for COBRA as soon as possible.

Still, some displaced employees complained about the high monthly premium costs through COBRA estimated at almost $300 for a single person and almost $900 for a family of three under HMSA.

"Medical is the biggest issue right now because there's high cost for medical," said Joseph K. Kauweloa, a 35-year customer service representative.

Linda Uesato, administrator of the state's Unemployment Insurance Division, encouraged attendees to file an unemployment claim through their automated phone system at 643-5555. As of yesterday morning, about 800 former employees filed a claim through the automated system.

The hours of the automated phone system were extended this week from 7:15 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily to accommodate displaced employees. Also, the main claims office at 825 Punchbowl Street will be open tomorrow from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for claims to be filed in person. Uesato encouraged all displaced employees to file by the end of the week.

Many streamed into a separate conference room yesterday, where dozens of officials from the state's rapid response team helped attendees file their unemployment claims. By 6 p.m. yesterday, as many as 100 claims were filed by employees who attended two informational sessions, said James Hardway, spokesman for the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. A third meeting was to be held at 6 p.m. yesterday.

Kauweloa, who filed an unemployment claim yesterday, said he expects to receive under $2,000 a month until he finds another job.

Kauweloa, 55, said he was looking forward to retirement when the company announced the shutdown. "I was one foot out the door," he said adding that he spent more than half of his life employed at Aloha Airlines. "I never, never in my wildest dreams thought this would happen. I'm very disappointed," Kauweloa said.