Snarge

Translation: we control the pilot culture. Not the pilots.

The YT comments are telling.... JB using a third party PR firm to tell the pilots... you don't need a third party....

What is an example issue of the DR. real facts and results...??

txbusdriver

B6 pilots got owned....

JetBlue’s Flight Plan for the Future: Connecting With the Cockpit to Preserve the Direct Relationship With Pilots
MWW Group and JetBlue Airways, Jan. 1, 2012

Summary: 2012 Silver Anvil Award Winner — Crisis Communications — Business

JetBlue Airways and MWW Group created, ran, and won a union representation election against the world’s largest pilots union, Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), by dramatically shifting opinions of ALPA’s relationship with JetBlue, mobilizing voting, and preserving JetBlue’s culture and business strategy in only eight weeks. The margin of victory was dramatic (58-41) and set a record for turnout in the National Mediation Board (NMB) elections with 97.24 percent voting. At the highest stakes, the team worked with exceptional discipline, collaboration and flexibility to turn the tide, and reverse the fortunes of America’s most celebrated airline.

"Crisis Communications" includes programs undertaken to deal with an unplanned event that required an immediate response. "Business" include all profit-making entities.

Full Text: CHALLENGE / RESEARCH & PLANNING
JetBlue is America's only union-free major carrier, and believes its direct relationship with "Crew" is vital to culture and business model. When ALPA, the world's largest pilots union, filed for election to represent JetBlue’s 2,108 pilots, the stakes were immense. JetBlue partnered with MWW Group with an objective of winning, but doing so without damaging the culture or precluding a constructive working relationship in the future. Additionally, protecting the brand and operational integrity was paramount.

ALPA rarely loses, and federal law changes in May 2010 make it easier to unionize with a simple majority of voters now deciding outcome. ALPA has won elections at 49 carriers, and many JetBlue pilots were ALPA members previously. Fundamentals were stacked in ALPA's favor:

Pilot schedules create dispersed, transitory workforce making it very difficult to engage.
From filing to voting close, NMB elections run only eight weeks, and a company's actions are highly restricted. Anything deemed "interference" by NMB allows the union to call for a new election, with additional advantages.
Our primary audience was the 2,108 pilots eligible to vote. Pilots are extremely transitory — flying several days then "off the grid" — and highly diverse in experience. They range from 30-year veterans of airlines flying with JetBlue since its start in 1999 to nearly 200 pilots joining in the past six months, some who only flew previously for the military. With only six weeks to create and run a campaign from notification of filing, speed was essential.

STRATEGY & EXECUTION
Unlike many companies facing unionization, JetBlue has an excellent track record of listening, treating employees fairly and continuously improving quality of life. Still, economic conditions sparked job security fears, particularly among experienced pilots arriving at JetBlue after furloughed by legacy carriers. With 10,000+ furloughs and nearly 20 bankruptcies and mergers in the industry over the past decade, job security is a top priority. Pilots are intelligent, educated, and considered leaders among peers. We treated them accordingly, utilizing infographics, managerial-style communications, and favoring substance and transparency over sound bites.

We recognized three imperatives for success:

Engage.
Educate on what's at stake.
Motivate to vote.
Key strategic elements included:
Dialogue vs. one-way: Engage in an authentic way through intimate conversations with the CEO and COO via in-person visits, a Q-and-A and videos.
Go where pilots are: Multi-channel approach in the crew room, at home, and mobile-optimized website.
Factual discourse over emotion: Rigorous fact-based messaging, contrasting track records. Acknowledge where JetBlue can improve, and confront misinformation directly. Given the volatile nature of the campaign and compressed time frame, we utilized a robust communications calendar and implemented a detailed campaign to reach all pilots, and address the burning issues. Campaign tactics included:

Digital platform for content: Launched a robust, mobile-optimized website at jetbluefacts.com. Content was updated daily, including an interactive Q-and-A.
Rapid response to tough questions: Answered 100+ questions within 48 hours of submission, including openly hostile ones.
Dynamic, engaging video: Created and posted 15 videos, including responses by COO to a difficult FAQ.
Using infographics to simplify complex issues: Produced infographics distributed through posters and flight information display screens in crew rooms, postcards to homes and airport mailboxes.
Face-to-face with pilots: Conducted 35+ informal CEO/COO crew room base visits in all five JetBlue bases.
RESULTS / EVALUATION
By every measure, the campaign was a resounding success:

17 point victory (58-41, with 1 percent write-in).
97.24 percent election turnout — NMB election record (source: Daily Labor Report).
ALPA did not file interference charges challenging the election despite public statements indicating they would, presumably due to the overwhelming victory and lack of content justifying filing.
Public Relations Society of America © 2012

Sennaha

Most would consider current "Fence Sitters", a No Vote.

Snarge

This is just a glimpse, a tip of the iceberg to the behind the scenes control and management of the pilot culture... this is dominant in every corporation.... and why companies despise unions... they want to keep workers stupid, underpaid and disengaged.

P-3Bubba

You don't get it. The fence sitter is what defined last ALPA's drive's failure. The newbie is the greatest threat to this ALPA drive's failure. My vote counts the same as yours, and if I am a "NO" vote as you say, just don't bother voting because my vote will cancel yours out.

BlindBentBingo

Bubba speaks truth here. There's a difference between the old-craniums who claim to be "fence sitters" but just don't want to explain why, and the newbies who are fence sitters because they're trying to make an educated choice on limited experience.

The ELT recognizes this, and that's why they're engaging us younguns so heavily. A lot of pro-Union pilots have figured this out as well, and are doing a good job of explaining the very good reasons why it's time to get a union.

I think we're going to win this thing, but again, a 51% and a 75% and a 90% win will lead to different outcomes.

To get to those higher margins, we must engage young pilots with factual information, stories real-life experiences, and measured reason. That's how I was won over to the "Yes" side.

We must avoid intimidation and hysterical emotion and other signs of desperation, which is how the ELT pushed me away from their side of the debate.

So to Bubba and others like you, I say welcome. Let's talk this out and really look at the debate. I think you've done a great job in your earlier post going over a lot of the things I considered in much the same way.

I don't have the same confidence you have in company-line regarding the merger protections - I put more faith in the PVC's lawyer's assessment (a third-party lawyer, btw, paid for by the company to give objective advice). But I think you've got a good pro-con list.

A couple things I think you're missing:

- ALPA legal - this is huge. Chances are better than even that some day you're going to end a flight (hopefully still walking down the jetway) realizing that, whether through your fault or not, you're going to need legal representation. If that happens to me, I sure would like to be able to turn my ID card over and dial an ALPA lawyer vs trust the company to represent my interests above theirs. JB's history on this has been checkered. Some times they've really taken care of the pilot. Others, not so much. Talk to your fellow pilots about the cases like the "Parking Brake" the CPs don't talk about during meet-and-greets.
- ALPA aeromedical - again, huge.
- The one-sided changes to health benefits. Not sure if you're a retiree like me, or a current reservist under TriCare, or the spouse of someone with a better plan, but here's another place where I think we need to look beyond our own shells. I am appalled at the pilots not protected like me who are dealing with a substandard health care plan for themselves and their families. I believe this should be the #1 emphasis in negotiations.

Let's keep talking!

cencal83406

One thing that hasn't been covered, as far as I can tell (outsider perspective)...

You CAN keep the "culture" that you want at the airline. Despite management scare tactics, ALPA can and does work with management when it's appropriate. ALPA puts its foot down when it is appropriate as well. It all comes down to the right folks in the representative positions at LEC and MEC level.

Do you want a Spirit Airlines relationship, or a Delta Air Lines relationship? Something in between?

Fins Up

So true. The only reason that the pilot-management relationship will immediately turn toxic is if management causes it. The flame-throwing guy on bluepilots who just wants to cause havoc is a small minority. Most of us supporters and OC volunteers want a good, solid working relationship with management. In fact, if I ever get the chance to ask Dave or Rob a question before or during the vote, it will be this: "The type of relationship the pilot group has with management as we move forward will largely depend on management. What are you going to do to prevent that from turning sour and creating a hostile environment?" I know what I'm going to do - do my best to keep "Barney" from holding any position of influence.

There is a reason that the pilot groups at every other major airline out there is unionized. Management is under pressure to produce returns for their investors (and bonuses for themselves) and they take it out of labor's pockets. It's just business and jetblue is no exception.

Lastly, I want to retire as a jetblue pilot. I want the company and all us "crewmembers" to do well. I don't want to merge or be sold. With that in mind, I have absolutely no doubt that voting YES is the right thing to do.

rvr1800

Copied from bluepilots, it's what Dave thinks of Norwegian Airlines and our "antiquated" U.S. laws that protect U.S. jobs. It's a very disappointing read to say the least.

Barger: 'Lose the culture and you'll lose the company' - Independent.ie

sailingfun

He states that JB pilots will get a 20 percent raise over the next 3 years. Is that correct?