RELEASED BY THE OFFICE OF SEN. INOUYE: 

WASHINGTON - The Hawaii Congressional Delegation announced today that the Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations will receive a national emergency grant of more than $5.2 million to assist workers who lost their jobs when Aloha Airlines and ATA Airlines ceased passenger operations.

"I am pleased to have played a role in securing this discretionary grant from the U.S. Department of Labor," said U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye.  "There is an immediate need for this assistance because the shutdown of both Aloha and ATA created a severe situation in our community.  This award helps the state to expand its response in a timely and necessary way by offering laid-off workers individual career counseling, skills assessment, job retraining, and relocation assistance."

U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka added:  "These federal resources will help working families recover from the loss of their jobs at Aloha Airlines and ATA Airlines by providing job counseling and retraining opportunities. We must continue to work together to assist all of the employees who have and may continue to be challenged by the financial conditions of the airline industry."

U.S. Representative Neil Abercrombie said:  "Offering laid-off airline employees career counseling, skills assessment, job retraining, and relocation assistance won't help them pay their rent or put food on the table immediately, but it's a productive step by this Democratic Congress to help people who have been devastated by the Bush economy."

U.S. Representative Mazie Hirono added:  "This grant is especially significant because a considerable number of Aloha Airlines and ATA job losses were felt on the Neighbor Islands.  In fact, the ripple effect continues to hit hard.  This much-needed boost in assistance for those who are still unemployed comes at a time when Hawaii residents are feeling the burden of rising prices not only at the gas station but also at the grocery store."

This grant is for as much as $5,220,500, and $3,269,812 will be released initially.  It is estimated that 710 of the two airlines former employees will participate in the counseling, skills assessment, and job retraining program.

Several weeks ago, Senator Inouye's quiet intervention helped save Aloha's air cargo business, which was purchased by Seattle-based Saltchuk Resources, Inc.  Aloha Air Cargo carries 85 percent of state's air cargo, and also provides U.S. mail delivery to the Big Island and Maui.

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