HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Hawaiian Airlines began informing its 1,400 non-union employees about their future on Friday now that its merger with Alaska Alaska is complete.

Hawaiian employs a total of 7,400 people, the vast majority of whom are unionized, including those in the jobs passengers see most often.

“Union members are in great shape because the jobs of mechanics, pilots, flight attendants, agents, etc. are needed,” said aviation expert Peter Forman.

“The non-union people very often fall into categories like front office support or something like that. And you end up with unnecessary repetition of employees,” Forman said.

“Here in Hawaii, both airlines have employee groups. If you put them all together, you need fewer gates and therefore fewer gate employees,” said former United Airlines pilot Pat McNamee, who was with United when the company merged with Continental Airlines.

McNamee estimates that 30 percent of non-union workers are looking for a new job.

Interim CEO Joe Sprague told Hawaii News Now that most of Hawaiian's non-union employees would be hired either long-term or on a temporary basis, but some of those positions would be relocated to Alaska's headquarters in Seattle.

The laid-off employees will be offered 90 days of work and severance pay. “That's great,” McNamee said. “At least they'll have a few months' salary to look for something else.”

Overall, the merger will save jobs by strengthening the financial health of Hawaiian, which is increasingly facing competition from Southwest Airlines on interisland and west coast routes.

It will also avoid the fate of Aloha Airlines, which filed for bankruptcy more than once before ceasing operations in 2008 following a bitter inter-island price war with go! Airlines and a failed attempt to obtain more financial support from United Airlines, which held a minority stake in Aloha.

“Hawaiian has been through the bankruptcy process several times and has repeatedly knocked on the judge’s door,” McNamee said.

“After they go through this merger, they have ample access to capital and the situation is just much more comfortable,” Forman said.

As for the non-union workers who will ultimately be laid off, McNamee said, “Just give them time. They'll get it right.”

Hawaiian Airlines wants to know in about two weeks what the new workforce will look like.

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