Hawaiian Airlines flight attendants ratify new contract HONOLULU (AP) =97 Flight attendants at Hawaiian Airlines have ratified a new= =20 package that is expected to save the carrier $3.5 million a year. About 87= =20 percent of the flight attendants, represented by the Association of Flight= =20 Attendants, cast their votes for the new contract that includes=20 concessions, the union said Monday. "Hawaiian Airlines flight attendants=20 have stepped up to the challenges in our turbulent industry by continuing=20 to provide the highest level of safety and service to our passengers,"=20 union official Sharon Soper said. "Now we are standing together to do our=20 part to ensure the long-term financial success of our airline." The=20 concessions allows Hawaiian more flexibility in scheduling and ability to=20 code share with American Eagle and America West airlines. Changes to the=20 reserve program =97 which is how flight attendants are scheduled for flights= =20 =97 and modifications in the sick leave policy and accrual rates were also= =20 made, the union said. The flight attendants preserved their pay and health= =20 benefits. "In other words, the flight attendants are going to have to work= =20 more to earn what they did before," union spokesman Jeff Zack said. A=20 flight attendant flying an average of 75 hours per month earns $15,876 in=20 the first year, $30,375 in the sixth year and $37,053 in the 20th year. The= =20 Association of Flight Attendants has more than 50,000 members at 26=20 airlines. It represents 900 at Hawaiian. *************************************************** The owner of Roger's Trinbago Site/TnTisland.com Roj (Roger James) escape email mailto:ejames@xxxxxxxxx Trinbago site: www.tntisland.com Carib Brass Ctn site www.tntisland.com/caribbeanbrassconnection/ Steel Expressions www.mts.net/~ejames/se/ Site of the Week: http://www.tha.gov.tt/ TnT Webdirectory: http://search.co.tt *********************************************************