Hawaiian Airlines Dreamliner

Hawaiian Airlines Flight Attendants Following Strike Vote and New Tactics

We are asked frequently about the status of this long-standing dispute. It has been strangely quiet for the past few weeks following an unusual Hawaiian Airlines flight attendant picket at Honolulu International Airport. We’re waiting for news and are cautiously optimistic that this silence indicates significant progress is being made!

The most recent December demonstration took a starkly different tone compared with prior picketing both in Honolulu and Los Angeles. This time, flight attendants used the kill them with kindness technique, greeting passengers, and assisting with bags and in other ways. After the picket, they even presented lei at the company’s nearby corporate headquarters.

“We really decided to change the message,” said Jaci-Ann Chung, union representative. “We felt that this was a more natural extension of what the flight attendant community is.”

Hawaiian Airlines’ flight attendants had previously voted overwhelmingly to strike, as the company simultaneously celebrated its 90th birthday. The cabin crew is fighting for a better contract and benefits that have been the subject of an ongoing dispute for over two years. It was the first time in the airline’s 90 year history, that Hawaiian Airlines’ 2,100 flight attendants voted to strike. Their decision was virtually unanimous.

Mechanic contract negotiations up next.

Another union, IAM, is currently negotiating with the company on behalf of approximately 2,200 mechanics and other personnel. There is a goal for those talks to be completed by April.

When could a flight attendant strike occur? 

First, it is still remains too early to know if a strike will actually happen. But for now at least, no immediate strike is possible. Here’s what’s going to happen next:

– The mediation board (NMB) must make the determination that deadlock exists. We have not heard word that has occurred.

– Thereafter, NMB would set a 30 day cooling off period.

– The parties would then be released from mediation.

– Subsequent to the above, a strike action could be announced.

Given the above steps required prior to a strike, it appears the first possible date an action could occur would be in February or after (and hopefully never).

The fight attendants’ union represents a total of 50,000 flight attendants at 20 airlines. In addition to pay, issues include layover rest, minimum hours worked and sick leave.

How much do Hawaiian flight attendants earn?

Hawaiian flight attendants start at $25 an hour, while those with 20+ years make up to $55 per hour, according to the union. “Some of these flight attendants are well into their 60s and 70s but can’t afford to retire. And management is trying to erode protections and work rules that were gained in previous negotiations.” — Andrew Feldman, AFA. By comparison, Southwest flight attendants are said to make up to $71 an hour.

60 thoughts on “Hawaiian Airlines Flight Attendants Following Strike Vote and New Tactics”

  1. So our child is a student at uh. We just booked his flight home for the Christmas break…and he’ll be flying back to school early/mid January. I know you won’t really know…and we will monitor on our end…but what happens if they do decide to strike (in January)…will they book us on a flight with another airline? Or are we out of luck? Or should we book a refundable flight with another airline?

    Aahhh…so many questions!!! Thank you for any insights you may have/provide. And thank you for keeping everyone posted!

    1. Hi Susie.

      We don’t know what Hawaiian would do should there be a strike. Sorry to not know more, but the good news is that there are so many reasons that make a strike highly unlikely.

      Aloha.

  2. We are flying Jan 19th to Honolulu.

    Could you please give any insights what the policy might be, does HA find flyers other flights if still on strike?
    Thanks for all your posts, on so many helpful topics.

    1. Hi Gerry.

      Thank you.

      We don’t know how it would be handled to be honest. And we don’t expect it to get to that point honestly. Also, since a strike has already been announced, it is undoubtedly too late to be protected by buying travel insurance.

      Aloha.

  3. Aloha! Thank you so much for all of your updates. We are flying HA in 2 days and again on November 30, inter-island flights between Honolulu and Lihue. What do you think the chances are of a strike affecting our trip that we have spent more than a year planning?

    Thank you!

    1. Hi Allison.

      There is no chance of anything happening for at least a month if not longer. And never is even more likely.

      Aloha.

  4. Aloha!
    Mahalo for your newsletters. I often receive your emails before a HA email. I have been flying HA since the ’70s, tho I did fly Aloha if the fare was better…miss them too. That said, I love HA and the flight attendants. In all those years I have only seen two gate agents who didn’t express the “aloha spirit”.

    That HA attendants are paid as much as $20/he LESS than other airline attendants is significant. Also, the one comment assumed that all attendants work a 40hr work week…that is not the case. I have also noted that some of the HA planes have been reconfigured to allow more passenger seating while making the attendant’s galley so small I’m amazed that they can even turn around, and it’s impossible for two attendants to work effectively in such a small space. More important it gives the attendants the impression that HA doesn’t care about them….which has some merit.

    The attendants union has been trying to get a new contract for several years, w/o success, tho the pilots were given a new contract at least a year ago. Normally, I would side with HA, but having spoken w/many attendants over the years and seen the difficult conditions they have to work in on some flights, I firmly believe they deserve an hourly increase which brings them in line w/pay at other airlines. One former Aloha employee told me that many of the attendants would return to Aloha airlines if it were still in operation as they treated their attendants far better than HA. I was very sad to hear that.

    I don’t want to see a strike but do hope HA will realize that the flight attendants are a valuable asset, and that value should be recognized after so many years w/o any wage increase!

    Mahalo, for your informative newsletters!

    1. Hi Barney.

      We can’t honestly say at this point. Odds still greatly favor settlement rather than a strike.

      Aloha.

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