Statements issued 11-1-11 by IBEW and Hawaiian Tel

Hawaiian Telcom Statement on IBEW 1357 Strike Authorization

News release from HawaiianTel

HONOLULU (Tuesday, November 1, 2011) -- Hawaiian Telcom Holdco, Inc. learned through the media that its union-represented employees have voted to authorize union leaders the ability to call a strike.

Hawaiian Telcom has contingency plans and preparations in place, which is the prudent thing to do in ensuring that customers continue to receive the service they need and expect. The Company has made a last, best and final offer that balances all parties' needs with the realities of competition in the communications business and a challenging economy.

Hawaiian Telcom's offer demonstrates a commitment to ensuring that our employees continue to receive competitive pay and very favorable benefits. Key components of the Company's offer include:

• Union employees currently pay nothing toward full healthcare coverage for themselves and dependents. The Company's last, best and final offer would provide that employees contribute 10 percent to healthcare premiums for employee and dependent coverage;
• Employees currently may take up to six months fully paid sick leave each year. The Company's offer provides up to 8 weeks fully-paid sick leave annually, plus adds company-paid long-term disability and long-term care insurance;
• Union employees are currently provided a pension and matching 401(k) of $0.82/dollar up to 6% of base salary. The Company's last, best and final offer provides an enhanced 401(k) company dollar-for-dollar match up to 10 percent of base salary while freezing pension plan benefits at existing values; and
• One percent compounded wage increases and an annual $500 ratification bonus for three years.

With specific regard to the upcoming APEC conference:

The Company's contingency plans for a possible strike considered the special needs and focus required during the period leading up to and during APEC conference. The Company's plans provide for essential functions normally performed by the Company's union-represented employees to be performed by reassigned management employees and non-union employees, along with outside contractors in key technical areas. For security reasons, the Company cannot disclose its plans relative to APEC in any greater detail, but it has planned for this contingency and is prepared for this important event.

The Company twice offered to extend the expired collective bargaining agreement until after the conclusion of APEC events, but the union declined those offers.

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Statement from IBEW 1357

November 1, 2011 http://ibew1357.org/

Aloha from your negotiations team,

As we await our strike sanction approval from the international office, we advise members to please report to work tomorrow business as usual. However, we ask that you start taking your personal belongings home with you. We would also like to take this moment to thank you for your incredible show of participation in the vote, and in your union team. We are all in this together and our solidarity shows.

It is vitally important to us to keep you folks in the loop, we will be sending out frequent messages from the negotiating team, in addition you will be receiving messages from a designated captain for your area. This is to ensure we are getting our message to everyone in a timely manner. If you have not received an email or phone call from your captain, please call the union office at 941-7761 immediately.

A meeting has been scheduled for designated captains on Wednesday Nov. 2 after work from 5-630pm at the Painters Hall.

The Union has given the company a last, best & final offer which included a 2 year extension with retention of our existing wages & benefits, but gave back the Business Sales Center Incentive Compensation Plan, Standard Business Attire, & the Team Performance Award (only unionized hourly segment). The offer did not include any general wage increase or ratification bonus. At this time there has been no response from the company.

In solidarity,

Negotiating Committee

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October 30: Full Text: IBEW, Hawaiian Tel on Strike Vote