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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted at 11:40 a.m., Tuesday, November 8, 2005

BUSINESS BRIEFS
Aloha's largest union approves new agreement

Advertiser Staff

Aloha Airlines' largest union has approved new labor agreements with the local airline.

Two units of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, which represents 2,400 of Aloha's 3,100 unionized workers, voted last night to ratify the new agreements, which will run through April 30, 2009.

The IAM units represents mechanics, inspectors, clerical workers and passenger service employees and ramp service workers. The agreement, which requires the approval of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, comes as the airline is holding talks with the unions representing its pilots and flight attendants

Aloha, which filed for Chapter 11 reorganization is December, is seeking to terminate its employees' pensions as part of plan to emerge from bankruptcy by the end of the year.



UH and BioXene team up on Avian Flu detection

The University of Hawai'i and Nanogenetech, Inc., dba BioXene, are teaming up on a collaborative research project to develop a new type of nano-scale molecular biosensor that could reduce the time needed to detect Avian Influenza in birds, infections and other biological targets. UH and BioXene will co-fund research and development of the technology invented by Winston Su of the UH Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering Department. Funding for the project comes through the a $57,578 grant from the UH Accelerated Research Commercialization program and $71,654 of cash and in-kind funding from BioXene.



State economic panel to hold virtual town hall meeting

The state Economic Momentum Commission is inviting the public to rank its 35 suggestions for maintaining Hawai'i's growing economy, and announced a virtual statewide town hall meeting Nov. 15.

The public can vote at emc-hawaii.com to prioritize which suggestions should be the 10 most important for the volunteer commission to pursue.

The meeting will be held at 10 locations on six islands and linked via closed-circuit TV Nov. 15 at 6 p.m. A list of meeting locations and local phone numbers to call to reserve a seat will be available later today at emc-hawaii.com.