Pilots union seeks strike OK
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / MARCH 16
Hawaiian Airlines pilots conduct informational picketing at Honolulu Airport’s interisland terminal.
The leadership of Hawaiian Airlines’ pilots union is accusing the company’s senior managers of “living in Fantasyland” regarding contract negotiations and is asking its members to authorize a strike.
Pilot voting is scheduled from Monday through May 17.
“The company’s fantasy approach to negotiations, and inability to move bargaining to a conclusion, is the reason that we write today to announce decisive MEC action,” the Air Line Pilots Association’s local Master Executive Council said in an internal letter Saturday to Hawaiian’s approximate 630 pilots. The two sides have been negotiating for more than a year over the pilots’ five-year contract, which became amendable Sept. 14.
A strike authorization vote is a common negotiating tactic among labor groups to apply more pressure during negotiations because it gives union leaders upfront approval to call a strike without having to later poll membership.
But the possibility of an airline strike, which would greatly affect Hawaii tourism and the local economy, is not as imminent as it could be with other industries because of the federal Railway Labor Act, which has stipulations meant to protect the U.S. economy and the public from interruptions of commerce while still permitting collective bargaining opportunities.
Under the Railway Labor Act, Hawaiian’s pilots would be able to strike only after the union is released from mediation by the National Mediation Board, arbitration is declined by either side and a 30-day cooling-off period is completed. However, if it is determined during the 30-day cooling-off period that a strike would deprive any section of the country of essential transportation service, the U.S. president could create an emergency board that could take another 30 days to propose an agreement. That would then be followed by another 30-day cooling-off period where the two sides could meet again.
“We are currently supporting the federal mediation process in the hopes of reaching an agreement with ALPA,” Hawaiian spokesman Alex Da Silva said Monday. “Every change to work rules and benefits under discussion are in areas where Hawaiian’s pilots currently enjoy better-than-industry-standard terms.”
ALPA and the state’s largest airline began talks April 1, 2015, and have been under federal mediation since January. The two sides held mediation in Reston, Va., during the last week of March and began another week of sessions with the mediator this week in Reston. Another week of mediation is scheduled for May 10-13 there.
“The company still has 30 proposals on the table six months after the contract amendable date — including management demands that they know will never be part of a contract and couldn’t be achieved in bankruptcy,” ALPA leaders wrote in the letter. “Examples are: management control of (preferential bidding system) buffers, lowering (minimum) days off in a 31-day month, and rewriting (the) vacation section to be substantially less favorable.”
Hawaiian pilots held informational picketing at Honolulu Airport on March 16. At the time, they were seeking a 45 percent increase in their overall contract value. Chicago-based ALPA spokesman Rusty Ayers said that figure has since changed but that he didn’t know the new figure being used in current negotiations.
Under Hawaiian’s current pay rates, a 12-year captain flying a Boeing 717 is paid $174.11 per flight hour, and a 12-year captain flying either a Boeing 767 or an Airbus 330 is paid $207.13 per flight hour. These are the top-scale rates in each category.
The Federal Aviation Administration limits commercial airline pilots to 1,000 flight hours per year, so those rates would work out to about $174,000 per year and $207,000 per year, respectively. A 12-year 767 captain at United Airlines, for example, makes $304 per flight hour, or $304,000 a year.
At the bottom of the scale, new-hire first officers at Hawaiian make $36 per flight hour, or up to $36,000 a year, regardless of aircraft type.
On Thursday the pilots union requested a grant of $2 million from ALPA National’s “Major Contingency Fund” that is provided to pilot groups to support their efforts when unsuccessful negotiations near an end. These funds would be used for strike preparedness activities, pilot-to-pilot outreach and family awareness events.
ALPA said a letter it received Friday from Ken Rewick, vice president of flight operations for Hawaiian, described “conceptual agreements” reached in mediation.
But ALPA said while “harmonization of our pension plans, and alternate vehicles that may provide valuable retiree health benefits have been discussed, we are far from agreement on either subject. That’s because management has put no new money on the table. The only company economic proposal was offset entirely by proposed contract concessions.”
ALPA listed what it wants from Hawaiian, including:
>> Sharing the company’s most profitable period ever with pilots, instead of having profit sharing suspended by CEO Mark Dunkerley.
>> Putting money on the table to keep Hawaiian’s Airbus A330 captains from making almost $100,000 a year less than peers at United and American airlines.
>> Acknowledging it is responsible for negotiating delays and committing fully to retro pay.
Dunkerley has said the airline and ALPA previously agreed profit sharing would be suspended beyond the amendable date of their collective bargaining agreement until a new agreement is reached.
The company’s parent, Hawaiian Holdings Inc., plans to announce first-quarter earnings Thursday after the stock market closes. Hawaiian’s shares closed down 21 cents, or 0.4 percent, at $49.96 Monday. Hawaiian’s shares hit an all-time high of $50.17 Friday.
45 responses to “Pilots union seeks strike OK”
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Strike!
Indeed. Mr. Dunkerley (and I imagine many of the board members and execs of Hawaiian Air) just rec’d a nice increase in his take home pay last year. Profits are up and revenues are up and yet the company tells their employees “we can’t afford to increase YOUR compensation.” Really? How does that work? Look at the comments below. A liberal state, with an overwhelming democrat voting population, embracing some of the largest number of unionized members in the country, who are politically supporting democrat presidential candidates…each of them supported by organized labor across the country…and yet nearly all comments below are ‘hate-mongering’ the Hawaiian Air labor union. Simply amazing. So which is it? Local residents that vote, vote for liberal democrat candidates that embrace organized labor and in turn-organized labor gets what they want in Hawaii. Yet, whenever a threat of a strike occurs with any industry, the same people come out and HATE RANT about unions!?!? You low information voters need to figure out what it is you want out of life. “If” you ever do…you should start voting accordingly. HawaiianAir pilots deserve an increase in compensation to get parity with their higher paid mainland counterparts and because they took a cut when HawaiianAir was financially struggling before.
Sorry, I need a little help…are HA pilots paid less than other airline pilots? And assuming they are, why should there be parity? I have a professional license, and my mainland counterparts charge double or more what I do…and the same is true of most of the professionals that I know. Sure I would like parity, but it’s the world I live in. The pilots could choose to work someplace else.
Next question, why should execs share the wealth?
Sort of as a side note, I do think that most of the folks on this board bash the unions pretty regularly.
Agree with advertiser1, there is no parity when comparing almost any industry pay when comparing Hawaii to the US mainland. However there are lower cost areas that have much lower pay, it’s convenient that only the highest wages in their respective positions are used. Look at small cities and look at their pay. Also if they don’t like it, move to another city no one is forced to live in Hawaii. Plus if the wages, retirement benefits (which most public companies don’t offer other than 401K) all increase Hawaiian will still make what they make, the excess will just be passed onto the consumer. It’s already almost $300 round trip to fly inter-island.
This is why every time you fly, it costs so fricken much! The unions are devastating business. Next time you buy a $600 plane ticket to California, and then have to pay an additional $25-$35 a bag, plus food, thank your union worker. These guys are making big bucks!
and they deserve to! cholo does NOT want to be on a plane flown by a disgruntled, underpaid pilot. no sirree
Underpaid, not sure I would call it that. They can only work 1000 flight hours a year which comes to half of what a 40/hour/week person will put in each year which is 2080 hours. And they get paid 6-digit incomes. I’m not upset at what they make, in fact I’m happy they make so much but there comes a point where you got to put things into perspective. 6-digits to work approximately 20 hours/week isn’t too bad and now they want an increase and better retirement benefits?
Working 1000 hours means that they FLY 1000 hours. The pilots only get paid for their time in the air–not for time preflighting the airplane, or for time in airports between flights, or for time away from home on overnights, or for the required paperwork, or for studying for recurrent training. And they only get part pay for the actual training. So part time? Not.
Here’s a question, since the pilot is in the plane with you, does it matter if he or she is disgruntled or not? That is, doesn’t the pilot have the same interest in keeping the plane safe as you do?
rank and file do NOT make the decisions about baggage fees and food, management does….your argument is baseless!
pay the pilots!
Quit and go work for United, live in Chicago.
That’s exactly what is happening. Many of Hawaiian’s pilots are leaving to go work for United, American, Southwest etc., because they value their pilots and pay them what they are worth. Where will that leave Hawaiian Airlines? With pilots jumping ship, leaving disgruntled guys that have to stay in Hawaii or ones that can’t get hired anywhere else. As a passenger, does that sound like a good situation for you and your family?
And for future pilot hiring, is Hawaiian going to find the best pilots? Or will they only attract “bottom of the barrel” guys that can’t get into higher paying jobs.
BuhByeAloha, this isn’t a new thing, been going on for YEARS in this industry and other like teaching at UH, large corporations in Hawaii but yet some how everything is ok… If I listened to your response one would think that each plane is going to crash because of the crappy pilots or there would be 0 professors at UH or that all our large corporations would be going bankrupt due to the awful work conditions and all the brain drain. But BOH was named one of the best banks in the US, Hawaiian is the most on-time airline in the US, only 1 bank took TARP money in the recession, and even broken HECO is attracting a buyout offer of $4.3B. No sky’s not falling because of the “amazing” people leaving Hawaii for greener pastures. Again, perspective please.
Not saying the sky is falling, but unless you are there, watch talented guys jumping ship, and seeing the pool of qualified pilots dry up, I don’t think you’re in a position to pop off about the situation. Each example you give is weak. Without spending too much time addressing each situation, where does U.H. place among other colleges? How do the public schools in Hawaii compare with the rest of the country? Dead last. Not number 48 or 49, but dead last. Teachers can’t afford to live in Hawaii with current pay, and pilots have a hard time as well.
BuhByeAloha, not weak just true. “Talented” people have been jumping ship for as many years as I can remember. Brain drain isn’t a new thing. I think Hawaiian, being the top airlines in Hawaii, will ALWAYS be able to find qualified good pilots. Never going to be a problem and I don’t think it was ever a problem like you say it is. UH, isn’t bad because of teachers and if you really want to compare, UH was ranked 161 in the 2016 Best Colleges.. NOW AGAIN to put it into perspective there are approximately 2400 4 year colleges/universities in the US. Being ranked 161 out of 2400 isn’t too bad if you ask me! Public schools, I agree aren’t good but its not because we lose good teachers to the mainland, trust me, you and I both know good public school teachers and they will stay no matter what the pay. Do you think that pilots are the only profession that people have left to “greener pastures”? And AGAIN, all seems to be ok without them. Would we want to keep these good employees, of course, but are ALL GOOD that are leaving?? Nope
not like you guys making $7.25 an hour man…………….
“The Federal Aviation Administration limits commercial airline pilots to 1,000 flight hours per year,”>>> So, 200k plus a year for 25 weeks of flight work ?
There’s always more to the job than the flight hours. Training and administration can fill a lot of time.
Uhhh, you failed to consider all the hours pilots spend before the flight with the flight plan, other preparations. Then include all the requirements for regular training, medical exams, all the other requirements pilots must meet.
True, but I bet if we added all the extra hours spent and divided by the $174,000 – $304,000 annual salaries it would still be more than some doctors make per hour (as doctors are also on-call have prep, CE classes etc) and more than most other profession including engineers, most lawyers, teachers, etc. So not sure I understand your argument. That they have other duties so they work more than 25 weeks/year? Except for low wage earners, I think most professional jobs have a understood minimum 2080/hours a year and that doesn’t include all the CE, prep, extra hours to get things done. So I’m pretty sure that pilots are not the only profession that has “other” hours outside the minimum required hours. BIG difference is that their minimum (which is they max flight hours) is literally half of all the other professions. I don’t think an attorney that makes $304,000/year that isn’t a big time partner is only working 40/week.
Maybe 808HRW should become a pilot. Start with a four year degree, spend at least $100,000 dollars taking flight lessons (or go through the military). Then work for a few companies for minimum wage (or no pay) for a few years. Then get yourself into a crappy commuter paying dirt for 5 years, before becoming qualified to fly something decent. Then start off as a new hire, and slowly work your way up to captain after 10 or 15 years. Average out the wages made from day one to the end of a long career, and it doesn’t sound too exciting.
BuhByeAloha, If it so bad, why do pilots become pilots? No one forced them to become a pilot. And I’m sure all the doctors/dentist out there wouldn’t feel sorry for the pilots. 4 year undergrad, 4 years medical school (if one can get in), residency with very low pay, over $250,000 in student loan or education costs, come out of residency and as a doctor some nurses make more money then then, put in the years,pay their dues until the “make it”. Same with lawyers, 7 years of school, $250,000 in costs, come in as a entry level attorney and work your way up. Wait…my bad… you were saying? Look I think pilots are awesome I don’t minimize or discount their value as it is a very specialized profession but dont think for one second that they are the ONLY ONES THAT PAY THEIR DUES. Almost every good profession does including all the trades, no one comes out of school/training a high paying star.
Why are you so set in lowering peoples pay and benefits? The American dream is to succeed! I have no problem with people negotiating better conditions! I have watch prices go up and peoples wages and benefits stayed pretty much the same as share holders and Executives have had a field day. It is time that the people who do the work reap the benefits! Maybe ask why if profits are up the baggage charge is still in place, and with fuel cost lower why the fares are higher?
1000 hours a year equates to being under-worked and over-paid. Get real!
You might think twice about what you believe the job entails. You have no idea of the commitment and training involved to get where these guys are.
Says the attorney, doctors, teachers (that get paid $40-$50K/year to teach our children), professors, bankers, computer tech guys, engineers (that design buildings we work and live in). No you’re right, only pilots are committed to their jobs and have extra training and are much more involved in their work. Yeah, we all have no idea of the commitment…
The 1000 is only the actual in the air flight time–not even close to the real time the job entails.
That’s true — there is also the “standby” time as back ups for each flight in the event of sickness or a pilot being drunk. However–this is the reason buying stock in airlines is a loser. Oil goes up–pilots get the same pay, airlines go into the red. Oil goes down pilots strike to get a piece of the action.
Wait! You don’t like your pay, so you strike? No, you guys have it all wrong. You see, if you don’t like something about your job (because you don’t OWN the company, you just applied to work there), then you quit and then apply at another company where you DO like the pay or whatever it is you are crying about. Or…..start your own company and then you can pay yourself whatever you want. See….IT’S REALLY SIMPLE!
Amen!
Wait! You don’t like unions, so you complain? No, you have it all wrong. You see, if you don’t like something about your society (because you don’t control the country, you just live there), then you leave and move to another country where you DO like that unions are illegal or whatever it is you are crying about. Or….start your own country and then you can tell all citizens to do whatever you want. See….IT’S REALLY SIMPLE!
True… Unions are not a big deal in Uganda, Cameroon, and Nigeria. Also, the cost of living is low.
“Under the Railway Labor Act, Hawaiian’s pilots would be able to strike only . . .” Can anyone figure out what this date might be? Or maybe I’ll just book my flights on Alaska and avoid the drama!
Labor Unions are too greedy & have too much power now. Originally established to enhance workplace safety, fight for fairness at work, stop child labor, & for many other wonderful, necessary, humanitarian goals… they’ve now morphed into this insatiable Big Bully; choking companies (& the rest of us in society) via crippling Strikes; until company executives “Cry Uncle” & give in to all their demands. As awapuhi452 said – “Under-worked and Over-paid”; and STILL not happy!! Tsk! (eye rolling, head shaking)
As a passenger, do you want the pilots to be backed by a union? Here is another way to look at it.
You and your family are sitting at the gate, waiting to board a redeye flight to las Vegas. The airline is trying to cut costs, and really working their pilots. For whatever reason, they are short a Captain, and they grab one coming off a Tokyo flight that hasn’t slept for a long, long time. The airline tells the Captain they need him to fly this flight, and he responds “I just finished my Tokyo flight, and I’m worn out. I was planning on going home to sleep”. The airline say’s “Do this flight, or you’re fired, and we’ll get someone that will do it”. Does that make you feel good about the flight? Or would it be nice to have a union come in and say “Wait a second, our boy is tired, get a fresh pilot for the flight”.
I hear what you are saying, but it’s the FAA that sets the maximums for flight hours. Just like the DOT sets them for professional truck drivers.
BuhBye,I know you are pro union but are you saying Military pilots are bad pilots because their not in a union? Families should never fly “space-A?”
Were the Air France pilots that crashed the A-330 in the Atlantic, flight 447 Union pilots? They had no idea what they were doing, they couldn’t hand fly the plane in an emergency, is that what you call a pilot, somebody who monitors computers?
Airline pilots are one of the most overpaid professions. Decades ago they were probably worth the equivalent dollars they are currently asking for. Since then technology has taken over the flying of planes to the point that pilots have an easier time that bus drivers.
You tell em AhiPuke. Sounds like you really know your stuff.
Dunkerley’s also living in fantasy land with regards to ticket prices!
Pay the pilots! Good ol’ Capitalism at work – it’s all about the share-holders. smdh
It cost a lot of money to become a pilot and then you only get $36,000 per year as a first officer. How many years does it take to become a Captain?. You can get paid more working for Costco.
No matter what the outcome is , expect to pay higher fares and fees. The union wins, the passenger loses.
Ticket prices are based on what the computer spits out. That’s why they are always changing. When the departure date is near and the plane has a lot of seats, prices go down, if its almost full, they go up.
Employee costs really have little influence.
Check any ticket website and the prices vary and are based on maximizing income. The higher wage airlines are not necessarily more expensive.