The one-size fits all arguement is narrow minded. Is there a reason you think every union is evil?

I submit that unions are beneficial to companies, allowing them to extrapolate their unit labor costs several years forward without leaving them suceptible to short term market pressures driving up costs as we have seen at JB. There are rumors that our past CFO was in favor of unions for this reason and he was shown the door.

 

Honestly, I came to JB for the same reasons you mentioned. I also worry about those same issues coming to JetBlue if we bring a union on property. I also hate the sense of entitlement that unions often bring. I also recognize that our upper management isn't addressing the issues that pilots keep complaining about. Most of us just want industry standard total cOmpensation and we are far off that in many areas. I and most of my fellow JB pilots are patient and willing to work with management to remedy these shortcomings. That being said, I really don't like that they can just change the peer set on our pay when they want to. Last year we got .9% Peer set raise this year we got 2.2% peer set raise, I get that they see and don't like this trend. Management sees the industry moving in favor of pay increases for pilots and they are trying to change the standard (in their favor) which they established. I get that as a pilot group we are often just a cost to be managed by upper lever management but without a CBA management can just do what ever they want to us with no recourse, it is not personal against management it is just a business decision that I choose too make. JB has teams of lawyers at their disposal, I don't. Without finding another job I see no other choice.

 

The "if you vote in a union, I'll go elsewhere" mentality is just as short sighted as "unions make better airlines." The truth lies somewhere in the middle. Airlines function well when management and the employees work well together. When management makes empty promises to their employees is when the rumblings of fighting back start. I take it despite the good relations between management and the pilots Southwest is a no-go because they're union as well?

 

Other then Virgin and JetBlue their really aren't any national / destination carriers that aren't union. I really don't think JB will stay non union for long either, IMHO.

 

Please look elsewhere. The tide is turning and a union will be here soon or we will be sold to a union carrier. Have been union and non-union I'll take a union carrier anyday. When I came here 10 years ago, mistakenly I thought this place was different, but it's not. In fact I think our style of management is much more evil than any legacy carrier. When I worked for a legacy carrier

 

I figured you guys would like that better than someone like me trying to come there, and then complaining about the union.

I know that not all unions are the same, but they all share the same foundation. Without proper attention, that foundation shows through, and anyone who thinks for themselves is vilified. I believe that in a union, the whole group gets dragged down to the lowest common denominator, and in some carriers, that's pretty doggone low. Maybe that isn't the case at JB?

 

I apologize if this was already answered, but what's the latest on new hire classes?

 

Our system bid closes Monday; should be about 12 E190 FO vacancies. Last I heard was a small class in Sept.

 

thank you.....................................

 

May be a few more depending on which aircraft-seat-base the 12 upgrades come from.