Off the News: Possible challenge to TMT in Palma; Be alert for airline CHAOS

Possible challenge to TMT in La Palma

The Thirty Meter Telescope consortium surely sees the permit approval for its backup location on La Palma as a needed fallback, given our state’s inertia in resolving the longstanding protest at Mauna Kea.

But it’s imperfect. La Palma, part of Spain’s Canary Islands, is not as high as the mauna, and not even free from potential protest. The environmental group Ben Magec – Ecologistas en Acción has threatened a lawsuit to protect the site’s archaeological artifacts. Sounds familiar.

Be alert for airline CHAOS

Deadlocked in contract negotiations that began in January 2017, the union representing Hawaiian Airlines flight attendants announced this week that members have voted to authorize a strike. But that can happen only if stalled talks prompt the National Mediation Board to release both parties to undergo a 30-day cooling off period.

If that fails to prod progress, travelers should brace for CHAOS (Create Havoc Around Our System). That’s a union strategy through which a strike could affect the entire system or a single flight. The union decides when, where and how to strike without notice to management or passengers. Stay alert.