Hawaiian Air, flight attendants agree on tentative contract

Unionized flight attendants at Hawaiian Airlines have reached a tentative contract agreement with the airline that the company says will increase flight attendants’ pay and increase productivity.

"This agreement, which spans nearly five years, recognizes the contributions of our flight attendants and provides cost stability as we add flights between our islands and outside of our state," said Mark Dunkerley, airline president and CEO.

Details of the agreement, covering 1,280 flight attendants who are members of the Association of Flight Attendants, were not released, pending ratification voting.

A statement issued by the union said the tentative settlement, which a union negotiating committee agreed to, must be approved by union leadership before being submitted to the membership for ratification.

"The negotiating committee is satisfied with the deal that we are going to present," said Sharon Soper, president of the AFA master executive council for Hawaiian Air. The agreement would cover both Local 43 in Hono­lulu and Local 47 in Los Angeles. Soper said the master executive council could recommend ratification, recommend rejection or send the proposed agreement to members with no recommendation one way or the other.

Voting is expected to take place during the next several weeks.

The union expects to mail information and balloting details to members on March 23 and could announce results within 30 days, Soper said.