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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, February 17, 2002

United strike worries Hawai'i

Advertiser Staff and News Services

As United Airlines and the union representing its 13,000 mechanics and aircraft cleaners began urgent contract talks to try to avert a strike as early as next week, Hawai'i braced for the possible effects.

With United flights accounting for about 20 percent of seats to Hawai'i, a strike would have a substantial impact on the state, which is still trying to recover from the effects of the Sept. 11 attacks.

United — the largest carrier in the local market — brings about 100,000 passengers a month to the Islands, said Pearl Imada Iboshi, research administrator for the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

"The other carriers would pick up some of the additional passengers but you can't take the major carrier out of a market and expect the others to pick up the difference," said Danny Casey, Hawai'i chapter president of the American Society of Travel Agents.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers rejected United's contract offer Wednesday and authorized a strike.

Jesse Ikei, vice president of the union's Hawai'i local, said a majority of Hawai'i members voted to accept the contract, and were split 50-50 on whether to authorize a strike.

Airline officials declined to say whether a strike would shut down Hawai'i operations. But airline officials on the Mainland said that at least some flights could be grounded.

"The state could not endure a long strike," Casey said. "And, frankly, I don't really think United could endure a long strike, financially."

But Iboshi said the aftereffects for Hawai'i likely would be limited.

"Something like this tends to be relatively short-lived. Once it's over, it's over," she said. "It doesn't tend to be long-lasting like a terrorist attack."