Posted on: Tuesday, May 21, 2002

Hawaiian Air union wins vote over rival

By Susan Hooper
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawaiian Airlines mechanics have voted to retain the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers as their union.

Some of the mechanics had called for a vote to allow them to be represented by another union, the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association. Votes in the election were counted Friday.

Out of 413 eligible voters, 352 cast valid ballots. The machinists' group received 206 votes, or 59 percent of those voting. The Aircraft Mechanics received 146 votes, or 41 percent of those voting.

The Aircraft Mechanics' group represents only mechanics and related workers — primarily custodians and cleaners, officials with that union have said. The machinists' union represents several types of airline employees.

At Hawaiian, the machinists' group represents customer service and reservations agents, and accounting, data entry, crew scheduling and supply personnel, as well as mechanics and cleaners, according to a Hawaiian spokesman.

"We congratulated the IAM for winning, but it was not a good showing," said O.V. Delle-Femine, national director of the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Union, which is based in Laconia, N.H. "They only won by 49 percent of the members. It showed to us that if the IAM doesn't do the job properly, then we will be back in two years."

Representatives of the machinists' union in Hawai'i did not return calls for comment yesterday.

Reach Susan Hooper at 525-8064 or shooper@honoluluadvertiser.com.