HONOLULU -- Pilots for Hawaiian Airlines on Monday declared their contract negotiations with the company at an impasse, starting the process for a potential strike.

The Air Line Pilots Association represents Hawaiian Airlines pilots.

The ALPA has asked the federal mediation board to release the pilots from negotiations.

The pilots association accused the airline of stalling contract negotiations for the last three years while the company made money.

"Over the years this pilot group has made many sacrifices not only forgoing pay raises, but also concessions with benefits to keep this company alive and moving forward, and it's not just the pilot group, it's the entire labor group at Hawaiian Airlines. It just seems like management does not want to honor their promises to reward us when times got better," said Eric Sampson, of Hawaiian Air's ALPA group.

"ALPA's request is nothing more than posturing for negotiations. Hawaiian remains committed to reaching a fair agreement with its pilots union," Hawaiian Airlines spokesperson Keoni Wagner said in a written statement.

If the federal government releases the union from mediation and binding arbitration is rejected as an option, the pilots could strike in 30 days.