Unionized Hawaiian Airlines pilots, who have been in contract talks with the company for more than two years, yesterday opened a "strategic preparedness center" that would be used as a headquarters if the pilots go on strike.

The center, in the Circle Rainbow Building at Honolulu International Airport's South Ramp, would be used to coordinate phone banks, picketing and other operations should the National Mediation Board release the pilot group from mediation and declare an impasse, said Sam Taeu, secretary-treasurer of the Airline Pilots Association's Hawaiian Air pilot group.

The next mediation session is set for Tuesday in Washington, D.C.

"If that mediation session is not productive, we may have no option but to ask the National Mediation Board to declare an impasse and release the Hawaiian pilot group from mediation," Taeu said.

As a first step in that process, the union leaders could send a ballot to pilots asking them to authorize a strike once a cooling-off period expires, he said.

Hawaiian Airlines issued a statement saying it remains "committed to making sure that all of its employees are compensated well for the work they do."

"Hawaiian's pilots have amongst the very best contracts and work rules in the industry and it is Hawaiian's belief that at the end of the negotiations this will continue to be the case.

"The current negotiations between Hawaiian and ALPA are progressing under the aegis of the National Mediation Board. Raising the specter now of actions that could damage the company and harm the community as the pilots' union leadership has suggested is both irresponsible and counterproductive."