Hawaiian Telcom Update on Union Return to Work

News Release from HawaiianTel Nov 11, 2011 10:32 p.m. EST

HONOLULU (Friday, November 11, 2011) -- Hawaiian Telcom Holdco, Inc is extremely proud of the way management and non-union employees have fulfilled temporary reassignments to other job functions as a result of the IBEW 1357 union work stoppage that began on Thursday, November 10.

IBEW 1357 leadership has indicated that its union-represented employees will return to the job at 8:00 p.m. Hawaii Time on Friday, November 11. The Company has determined that if that is the case, employees will be allowed to return to work and regular duties. The Company made a conscious decision that returning to normal operations as of this evening is in the best interest of our community and our customers at a time of unprecedented importance for our State on the global stage, as the host location for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation events.

The Company stands by its Last, Best and Final Offer to the Union as demonstrating commitment to ensuring that our employees continue to receive competitive pay and favorable benefits.

We thank our customers and the public at large for the tremendous support we've received affirming the reasonableness of our Offer; we owe it to our customers to manage the business in a way that ensures they receive the best possible service, products and technologies that they want, and best value for their communications dollar.

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From IBEW 1357 Website

Nice Work!

Dear Friends,

After much deliberations with the Company and little movement from them, the Union has executed the will of the membership and called a work stoppage. The negotiating team had considered many variables:

• To ensure there was Medical coverage for employees and their families
• Minimize the financial impact to members (duration of the strike)
• Assess the participation of the membership during the strike
• Assess the Company’s ability to manage the strike
• Maximize the media exposure surrounding our situation in line with members wanting to strike during APEC
• Flush out those that want to cross the picket line
• Continuous pressure on an already stressed management team
• Contractor errors are now amplified

It has not been an easy time for our members and we want them to continue to practice responsible behaviors, we need to be safe and we need to practice quality every day. We have given the Company amendments to their proposal to reconsider and, asked them to reengage us in bargaining in our efforts to bargain in good faith to a settlement.

Mahalo,

Scotty

http://ibew1357.org/