Hawaiian Telcom workers packed into their Union’s meeting hall Thursday night. About 175 members of IBEW 1357 came to make plans if they are told to strike.
"At this time if we needed to we could call a strike at any time," says Lisa Parran, IBEW 1357 Negotiating Committee.
The union cleared it’s final step this week to walk off the job by getting the go-ahead from its International Office granting a strike sanction.
IBEW 1357 which represents about 750 Hawaiian Telcom employees says it has told workers to be prepared to walk.
"I want to make sure we exhaust everything before I put the members on the line," says Scot Long, IBEW 1357 Business Manager.
"We are in constant communication with our members, so the members are aware there are captains throughout the state we are ready to mobilize when the call is made," says Parran.
Hawaiian Telcom is also mobilizing if a strike is called. In a statement the company says: "Based on the Union’s strike threats… the Company is proceeding with its contingency plans and preparations… with APEC events approaching."
Some are questioning the union’s timing for a possible strike with the start of APEC in less than 4 days.
"We had tried for almost two years to get the company to bargain early, effort after effort and we were pushed off, so to say their was our grand scheme to make APEC a big statement, it’s not," says Parran.
Hawaiian Telcom says the union’s last, best and final offer ignores challenging economic realities in the state and its requests for benefits are "legacy benefits put in place when this company operated as a monopoly."
IBEW 1357 isn’t disclosing when and where members would strike. Leaders say their intent is not to hurt the public but is advising Hawaiian Telcom customers to be prepared if the call is made.
"I think with the weather they might experience some delays and repair," says Parran.
IBEW 1357 says it isn’t obligated to give Hawaiian Telcom any warning before calling a strike.
See the original article at: KHON2 Local News
