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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, February 21, 2003

Hawaiian reaches deal with machinists

Advertiser Staff

Hawaiian Airlines' machinists are the latest labor group to agree to concessions as the airline struggles to keep itself financially stable.

The International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers District Lodge 141 voted to ratify $3.8 million in concessions from Hawaiian Airlines, which the carrier said is part of the $15 million in labor concessions it needs to avoid job cuts.

The restructuring agreement ratified Wednesday night by the machinists union does not affect current salaries or any future wage increases, union leaders told their members. Hawaiian officials have said that the concessions come, in part, from such changes as increases in productivity.

Union officials did not release the vote count but Floyd Baptist, assistant general chairman, said the plan was approved "pretty much unanimously."

Hawaiian's pilots union announced Tuesday it had reached a preliminary "agreement in principle" on concessions with the company and continued to discuss several issues.

Hawaiian also said at the time it was continuing discussions with the Association of Flight Attendants. The union did not respond to a request for comment yesterday.