LATEST JBPA UPDATE. THE ELECTION WILL BE HAPPENING SOON!!!!!!
Please accept this most recent update and addition of “Where we are” for your review.
Fellow Pilots:
WHERE WE ARE (12/03/2008)
Mid morning today the National Mediation Board advised the JBPA that it has completed the interest card verification process. A sufficient showing of interest has been determined and “an internet and telephone election is here by authorized”. JetBlue Airways has been informed that they have 5 calendar days to complete the furnishing of labels for the purpose of mailing voting instructions to the list of eligible voters pursuant to section 12.1 of the NMB representation manual.
Specific dates and time frames regarding the voting window remain in the hands of the investigator. As soon as that information is available it will be communicated immediately.
We have been advised that a common tactic for the attempted disruption of this process is to press it forward during this time of the year to maximize the effect of these important correspondences arriving at your homes during this time of welcome distraction. It has been the practice of other institutions in similar cases to proceed in this manner in the hope that these critical documents are overlooked or misplaced. Your vigilance will therefore be required as all of us feel the weight of non standard holiday schedules and pressing family obligations associated with the season.
Please continue to take your right to vote very seriously and remain focused.
To this end, please excuse us as we yet again take this opportunity to reemphasize this statement from our previous updates:
“If you are presently on a personal leave of absence, are serving our country abroad, or have reason to believe that you will have interrupted access to mail for any reason in the coming months, please contact Mike Sorbie or Bill Evans right away. You will not be able to exercise your right to vote without these important NMB documents and the procedure for obtaining them outside of the above process has a time component that must be considered.”
Your right to have your voice heard is of great importance. Please reach out to us if you need any assistance what so ever with regard to your ability to regularly receive US Mail.
December 3, 2008
On December 2nd, the JetBlue Pilots Association (JBPA) formally concluded the processes necessary to affiliate itself with the Coalition of Airline Pilot Associations (CAPA). This process was centered on a request for “Associate Membership” delivered personally by JBPA leadership to the CAPA Board of Directors; a body comprised of the current presidents of their pilot associations.
The JBPA would like to publically acknowledge CAPA’s gracious invitation to include our aspiring association in their proceedings and to extend our formal thanks for their ongoing support for our effort to legally empower our pilots through the collective bargaining process.
Although full membership is not possible without status as a recognized bargaining agent for our pilot group, our associate membership in this influential body represents an important first step in the process of developing a collective external industry voice for our pilot group.
CAPA is a coalition of over 23,000 professional pilots. CAPA's purpose is to address safety, security, legislative and regulatory issues affecting the professional flight deck crew member on matters of common interest to the individual member unions. The five members of CAPA are:
Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA) Southwest
National Pilots Association (NPA) AirTran
Allied Pilots Association (APA) American
Independent Pilots Association (IPA) UPS
Teamsters Local 1224 ABX Air
CAPA is well known on Capitol Hill and throughout many government agencies. CAPA maintains an excellent reputation characterized by its collective strength, integrity, responsible activities and collaborative approach. In concert with other organizations, CAPA has successfully lobbied for the Federal Flight Deck Officer program, the securing of hardened flight deck doors, improvements in flight crew duty days and rest periods as well as a host of other legislative issues important to the member pilots and our traveling customers. CAPA continues to work specifically on important safety and security issues common to its member organizations and on behalf of the public traveling within the aviation infrastructure.
The JetBlue Pilots Association feels very strongly that our position of isolation as career aviators places us at a distinct disadvantage within our industry.
Part of our stated mission remains to serve as a collective external voice for our work group. It is through affiliation with this important trade association that we aspire to lead our pilots into the greater community of independent airline pilot associations.
Respectfully,
Your JetBlue Pilots Association
“Our Company, Our People, Our Association”