New Hawaiian Dispatcher Contract

Socks and sandals

Well-Known Member
Hello everyone, first post on here:
I heard that a new contract is in the works? If so good luck, and congrats on advance to the Hawaiian dispatchers!
 
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A carrier that is a Major but operates with a Regional mindset. The exodus of HA Dispatchers continues. There was a guy in my class at my current shop that was born and raised in Hawaii and left HA to come work as a Dispatcher on the Mainland. That speaks volumes of employee relations there IMO.

EDIT: Oh yea and I heard about this contract. Pay cuts included. The TWU Local that represents Hawaiian doesn't care about them. Leadership rarely goes out to speak to the membership and update them. Sounds like they need to find a better Union. Not nessecarily PAFCA but even a random union would be better than TWU treats them. As a red-headed step child.
 
A carrier that is a Major but operates with a Regional mindset. The exodus of HA Dispatchers continues. There was a guy in my class at my current shop that was born and raised in Hawaii and left HA to come work as a Dispatcher on the Mainland. That speaks volumes of employee relations there IMO.

EDIT: Oh yea and I heard about this contract. Pay cuts included. The TWU Local that represents Hawaiian doesn't care about them. Leadership rarely goes out to speak to the membership and update them. Sounds like they need to find a better Union. Not nessecarily PAFCA but even a random union would be better than TWU treats them. As a red-headed step child.
I believe they're represented by 540. They represented us so "well" at RIA.
 
Is 540 the local that represents most of the regionals?

It's sad a major airline dx group can't get better from their CBA, the same CBA that has gotten better deals at other major airline operators, though I know that is not completely inclusive.
 
Is 540 the local that represents most of the regionals?

It's sad a major airline dx group can't get better from their CBA, the same CBA that has gotten better deals at other major airline operators, though I know that is not completely inclusive.

Don't get hung up on that "major airline" designation. It's strictly a DOT definition. By that same definition, Skywest, Envoy, and Allegiant are also major airlines. Functionally, they are more like a regional, or perhaps an LCC.
 
twu really is a joke on the international level, but thats what your paying for when you have a union that represents both the majors and regionals alike. I applaud you guys turning down a concessionary contract.
 
Flying Saluki said:
Don't get hung up on that "major airline" designation. It's strictly a DOT definition. By that same definition, Skywest, Envoy, and Allegiant are also major airlines. Functionally, they are more like a regional, or perhaps an LCC.

Not so much. DOT does have a definition of a "major airline" as one who's operating revenue meets or exceeds $1 billion annually. Skywest's revenue last year was $3.17 million. Envoy's is cloudy as it's still a wholly owned, but I'm about positive that as a business unit their net revenue is far short of a billion dollars.

Far as I can tell, Allegiant should qualify. They reported 2014 net revenue before expenses of $1.14 billion. I find that remarkable but that is what they reported to the SEC. I'll write it up to the savings from cheap oil. If not for that they would be in tough shape.

Edit: Hawaiian had $2.3 billion last year, so they too are a major, though I imagine that's not a surprise to all of us here.
 
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Edit: Hawaiian had $2.3 billion last year, so they too are a major, though I imagine that's not a surprise to all of us here.

It does seem very odd that they would be trying to get a concessionary contract when they are profitable and the largest uncontrollable expense (fuel) is also a lot lower than it has been in recent years. However, it seems like management will often try to get away with whatever they can. Considering the cost of living in HNL, I don't blame the dispatchers there a bit for voting down the contract. I'm actually surprised it was presented to the group to vote on if it included pay cuts.
 
Good for the majority of the dues-paying members for voting down something less than they deserve. Shame on the negotiating committee made up mostly, maybe partially, of members of that section for bringing something back unworthy of their members' support....unless they flat out told them "Vote this down!"

Your union is what you make of it by those you choose to represent you, or even (possibly a stretch here) your own efforts. The international is only going to hold your hand so much during the normal course of business. They are there for when things actually get tough. At some point, you as a group, are going to have to step up, stick together, and fight. Or not and reap what you sow. Nobody said it was easy running a union, but at the end of the day you own your fate with the choices you make and the efforts you put forth.

That is all.
 
Cost of living really plays little role in negotiating union contracts in our industry. Let alone if you're under TWU. Industry standards will do you better justice. The downfall with Hawaiian in this case is that they're a bit of a hybrid. Far from a regional airline operation but far from a major airline on the books. So who do you compare industry standards with? A paycut in this day and age is just a downright vote down. You shouldn't even read any details just vote it down. The guy in the right seat at Hawaiian starts off at $30+ a year so I can only imagine what starting dispatchers make. That doesn't even seem feasible from where I sit.
 
Hecklers2002 said:
Cost of living really plays little role in negotiating union contracts in our industry. Let alone if you're under TWU. Industry standards will do you better justice. The downfall with Hawaiian in this case is that they're a bit of a hybrid. Far from a regional airline operation but far from a major airline on the books. So who do you compare industry standards with? A paycut in this day and age is just a downright vote down. You shouldn't even read any details just vote it down. The guy in the right seat at Hawaiian starts off at $30+ a year so I can only imagine what starting dispatchers make. That doesn't even seem feasible from where I sit.

I'm confused. Why is Hawaiian a "hybrid" airline? By definition, and according to every standard out there, they are a major airline. Any argument to the contrary is playing into the very rhetoric Hawaiian is using to pay below industry standard wages.

I do agree that COL should be a non-factor for this argument. That is only possibly remotely relevant with regionals, and I can make a serious argument not even then.
 
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