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Hawaiian Air "Fully qualified, only partially paid," is the lament these days of Hawaiian Airline pilots.
pilots picket
They took wage concessions
to save the airline but claim
they are not treated fairly
now that it is profitableBy Debra Barayuga
Star-Bulletin
While their colleagues were in the air or preparing to fly, about 40 pilots for Hawaii's oldest and largest carrier hit the sidewalks early on this Labor Day at Honolulu Airport to protest what they see as management's lack of commitment in negotiating a fair agreement.
About 450 Hawaiian pilots based here, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, International have been in talks with management since November, specifically on wages and work rules. Pilots have been without a new contract since February 2000.
Other pilots were expected to join the group for informal picketing until 10 p.m. at Honolulu Airport and at airports in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Francisco and Seattle. The picketing does not affect Hawaiian's flight operations.
"We're tired of the years of subsidizing the airlines with our pay," said pilot Joe Mocarski, one of over three-dozen pilots who began picketing soon after 5 a.m.
Pilots voluntarily agreed to concessions in wages and work rules to help "save" Hawaiian during the last two decades.
But they said it appears management has forgotten
"Management didn't hesitate to come to us, and every other employee group when the airline needed relief, but now that the airline is prosperous, they treat us like a problem, not a partner."
To the contrary, management and ALPA has made good progress in negotiations and "we expect that to continue," said Keoni Wagner, spokesman for Hawaiian. "We're confident a fair agreement will be reached.
The federal mediator, as expected has helped bring the parties closer and has helped resolve several significant issues in recent discussions, he said.
The company has made it clear that it wants to increase pay for all Hawaiian employees, Wagner noted. "It's just a matter of how much the company can afford without jeopardizing the stability that everyone's worked so hard to achieve."
Air Line Pilots Association
Hawaiian Airlines