Hawaiian Airlines, pilots reach tentative labor agreement

Hawaiian Airlines and its pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), have reached a tentative agreement on a five year, three month contract, following nearly two years of negotiations and strike threats.

The tentative agreement includes significant pay raises, work-rule improvements and retiree health care protections, according to ALPA. A ratification vote among Hawaiian’s 665 pilots is scheduled to begin March 6 and end March 24. If ratified, the contract will take effect April 1 and will carry through to July 1, 2022.

According to ALPA, pay rates will immediately increase between 20%- 45%. By the end of the contract, pay rates will have increased 36%-86% depending on the individual pilot’s seat, years of service and aircraft type.

“We have achieved pay that is within reach of Delta and United, and comparable to FedEx and American,” ALPA’s Hawaiian master executive council said in a letter to pilots. “Our pay will never lag far behind others again.”

“We have been able to reach an agreement that offers our pilots a significant increase in compensation,” Hawaiian COO and lead negotiator Jon Snook said. The airline remains in negotiations with the Association of Flight Attendants, which became amendable in January.

(Mark Nensel - ATWOnline News)