Jbpa Files With Nmb
 

JetBlue pilots file petition with NMB for sole bargaining agent representation

(New York) – JetBlue Pilots Association officials today filed a petition with the National Mediation Board (NMB) to gain recognition as the sole bargaining agent for the nearly 2,000 pilots of JetBlue. Pilot association leaders said they are seeking formal recognition in order to provide career protections for their pilots in a positive way that will help “redefine pilot-labor relations in our industry.”

“We have complete faith in our current company leadership and believe that this will be a cooperative effort,” JetBlue Pilots Association leaders Captains Michael Sorbie and William Evans said in a joint statement. “As our airline matures, we want to ensure that the career expectations of our pilots will remain intact regardless of organizational changes. We welcome the opportunity to communicate concerns through a voice that is supported by the lawful process of the Railway Labor Act. This process also provides a stability and cost certainty that will be beneficial to our company as we grow into the future.”

Association leaders provided advance notice of the intent to file the petition to both CEO David Barger and the JetBlue Board of Directors, indicating the type of relationship that exists today and confirming the type of direction that should be expected in the future.

“Our desire to seek formal recognition underscores our need to have a relationship based not only on the benevolence of a leadership team that could transition at any time, but on a relationship where there exists a means to resolve our private discourses under the support of legal process,” Capt. Sorbie said.

The NMB soon will begin the steps toward a request for an election and representation authorization. JetBlue Pilots Association leaders are proposing an independent organization and are not seeking association with any third party national union.


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The JetBlue Pilots Association, based in Kew Gardens, NY, is a volunteer organization seeking recognition as the exclusive bargaining agent for the nearly 2,000 commercial airline pilots of JetBlue.

Did I miss a post?

Deleted - I am refraining from "posting political garbage on this thread". Sorry ;)

please refrain form posting political garbage on this thread.

It will be fun to see this fail.

Please explain???

Fail? That is what will happen if we don't organize. With DB in power now things may be ok, but what happens 10 years from now when there is a whole new management group? We know that most of us plan on being with JB for a lifetime. We better protect our careers now since this thing will take a while to get rolling.

All I can say is if another company steps in with our current contracts we are all unemployed and we know it. There is no protection in our contracts, none, its a paper dream. It's just hogwash to believe the company saying we are protected if we were to be bought out.

No A/B fund, poor health coverage, low wages compared to the industry. Lets go and get this done together and start protecting our jobs. We know its a great company to work for but we have work to do and have little time to waste. Good Luck!

Yes, please explain.

I actually think the protection language in our contract is pretty good. The problem with it is that the law supporting it is untested.

In any case, I am a fence-sitter turned yes vote; as I predict a lot of others will be too.

Anyone who thinks that a Union equals job protection needs to look around and see what is going on in the rest of the industry.
Plenty of Union members on the street. We got a pay raise and furlough protection with a new contract negotiated by us, the Pilots, not some third party union thug.

give it a rest waterboarder. you are a mangement plant and you cannot support any of you fear mongering lies with facts. your half truth attemps at scaring the pilot group are pathetic. JBPA will be a welcome improvement to the currnet situtation. no more one sided changes. no more "cost neutral" pretend "improvements" .no more lies.

Funny thing is, is that the people who hate the unions the most, are the ones who NEED it the most...............:eek:

Waterboarder is partially right. Look around guys. It sucks out there. Charter jobs are even hard to come by. *** is JB management going to able to give ya in times like these? Oh, I voted for unions in my career, so save it.

Amen. And its always hilarious when the most outspoken anti-Union guy gets his butt in trouble. Because you can actually see the smoke as he goes to Zone 5 afterburner to the Union Office for help.

First of all, we all know whats going in the industry TODAY. Im not talking about TODAY, I'm talking about 20-30 years down the road when most of us will retire. How about foreseeing what areas could be problematic in the future and take care of them NOW? Do you not understand that?

You are correct, we did get a pay raise which brough us up to a level that is still lower than the rest of the industry. Kind of like buying something that was 75% over the normal price and then offering consumers those awesome 75% off sale prices. Those deals look great and you say "what a great deal." The analogy is the same.

Third party union thug?? Its JBPA, its our own people not ALPA.

Pay raise? Come on, that pay raise was a joke meant to placate the masses. I would have to be something like an 8 year E-190 captain (which I probably would be the way things are going growth wise) to make 2nd year FO pay at SWA. Guess their union "thugs" must have a clue.

How does this............................

Equate to this.................................


???????????????????????????????????


AL

It sucks out there?...............................what would you favor, fair weather membership?



AL

umm, yeah dippy, it sucks out there. Looks like you HAVE a job?:confused: My former colleagues Flight Options just laid off a bunch today. They've been in a union fight for 4 years (one that I voted for). Good luck pickin' that pepper out of the fly $hit!

How? I enjoy going to work that's how. For the most part the people we work with are hard working, well intentioned and seem to care. However, things like healthcare and retirement should be much better.

You couldn't possibly agree that our healthcare and retirement are sufficient? I you have a family you are paying a lot of money to have them covered. This is not acceptable, plain and simple.

Sorry if you missed the point.

forgot to add that our contracts are not worth a hill of beans. You know and I know that if someone like Delta stepped in and wanted our planes and gates at JFK we would all be standing in the unemployment line. If you dont think its possible then I would like to sell you some land in the lower 9th ward.

I didn't get a payraise!

In my experience, that's how most people are. Most people ARE hard working, well intentioned, and care. Most firms are full of such people.
You mentioned that pay, healthcare, and retirement are questionable.
I'm just curious, what makes a company "a great company to work for" in your opinion?

AL

I hope your former collegues find employment soon.

To what do you attribute their layoffs?

AL

I'm not going to go down this road with you. It's obvious by the pcrb that our pay is low and that our benefits are not sufficient. If you are interested having representation then vote if not then don't. Remember though, its our future nobody else's.

I know that I am worth much more than what I am currently compensated at. Just curious, are you in management at JB or do you actually fly for JB??

Flight Options Layoff???
 

Hey Learflyer,

Flight Options laid off today?!?:( This isn't the same group of 70 hostages is it? Please clue us in. Thanks!

In Unity,

B727DRVR:cool:

PS- I almost forgot, Congratulations to the JBPA! I would take ANY union over being an at-will employee any day. And you can work with ALPA to get their same excellent medical and legal package...

Please inform me what I'm "missing out with" by not being with ALPA? Almost Possibly Probably Anyway didn't do crap for me at my 2 previous carriers...other than take 1.9% of my pay so the MECs could meet in Herndon and have steak & red wine. All the while the National Officers were raking in 300k+ I've just gotta know? What a once great, proud UNION down the toilet now RJ union...sad, very sad. What did I miss???

No, it was the bottom 104 on the list. Definetaly economic considerations this time and no games.

Herk,

Apparently I've given you the wrong impression.

I've seen great things achieved by unions and I've seen things get as ugly as they could get short of a chapter 7 filing.

I hear arguments all the time based on what ALPA did in the past. It's all irrelevant!

A union is only as good as its union!

As with any organization comprised of enthusiastic, educated individuals, anything is possible. Communication is one of the most important elements of any organization. Lack of effective communication is also a major weakness in most organizations including pilot groups! Unions certainly facilitate communication.

Shiny new equipment and nice people alone don't make a company great to work for. You can find that anywhere. Only $$$ will support my family and pay my bills!

It's all about the package!

AL

What was your problem with the union again?



AL

When the economy is bad, a union won't do $hit.

"ALPA" Sir ??? :confused: ALPA???

ALPA has absolutely NO relevance here!

AL

For a number of reasons, even though I was a 35 year ALPA member, I retired with a bitter taste in my mouth. However, during that span, I served for a number of years on the MEC and MEC committees and the only steak and red wine I had I mostly paid for.

What ALPA gives for meal expenses won't buy that level of cuisine. I regularly paid up to a few hundred dollars per month out of my own pocket.

As I said..............fair weather membership?



AL

Understood. However as a matter of fact my previous MEC had a use it or lose it budget for expenses. Expense reports and pictures proved it. If pilot groups are taking concessions so should National. I've yet to see a pay cut. I'm proud that we will have an in-house organization looking after me and only me. Not some kid with stars in his eyes driving an RJ while mainline pilots take 50% paycuts.

I'll agree to that. IMO, that's a valid comparison to the auto CEOs begging congress for $$$ after they took the company private jet to D.C. If nothing else it looks terrible.

I can’t believe how naïve all you union supporters are.
A Union is a Union is a Union.
The moment you vote one in you are stuck with them forever.
Is it mostly the military folks who are supporting this at JBLU
because one of your buddies gave the ‘marching order’?

Anyone ho has been a member of on or two unions at one or
two previous airlines will vote against it. Fortunately we have
plenty of ex US Air guys here who know better, they have seen
it in action.
Wishful thinking and cheap empty promises that everything will
be taken care of by you union reps, who may not talk to you
because they are negotiating on your behalf? No thanks.

The moment you vote for them all communication between
Management and pilot group comes to a screeching halt.
You are not privy to info any more.
Everything has to be put in contract language.
“If it's not in the contract – it’s not my job”.
The spell of death for our ‘radical application of common sense’.

Yes you did.
Check your 04/08/2009 statement.
Don't why the 3-rd year F/Os had to wait longer, but it is there.

What kind of pay raise do you expect from a Union?
How much in Union dues?

Ask a furloughed Union member from ANY other airline how well that worked out...
Look ot AMR right now, they probably have the most militant union out there which turned into a *****cat as soon as management bluffed them after 9/11.

That's what is known as counterfactual reasoning!






That's naive!

That's like saying an organization is an organization is an organization.

Some of us HAVE seen some pretty notable, even historic, action with unions before.

It would be extremely folly to tar all and any future unions with the same brush.

Sounds like you're branding on the basis of past experience. That's something effective managers of organizations avoid.



AL

more lies and banter form our management plant waterboarder....

saying that a union is a union is just like saying management is management. Dave barger worked for lorenzo at continental, so, based on your logic, he is like frank lorenzo... really dude, give it a rest. stop your fear mongering, lying and fact less tactics.they might work on a few uninformed scared ones and on your kids,but not on adult professional pilots.

by the way I have collected more cards from ex usair and ex twa guys than any other demographic on the A320 left seat.

now go back to cleaning JR shoes, he will give you a cookie right afterward.

Not sure what "Don't why the 3-rd year..." means, but I'm not looking for a huge raise from JBPA. I would like to see appropriate COLA and a halt to benefits disappearing without any discussion with us.