Attention Former Jetblue Pilots

[linepilot]

The purpose of this post is to make you aware that the law firm of Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell LLP is being retained by current and former pilots to dispute section 3A of your pilot agreements.

If you were a pilot at Jetblue after the change to 190 FO rates (26%) in 2007 you may receive a settlement in this case if you retain LLBL.

It sounds as if they will be moving forward soon.

For questions, comments or other thoughts you can email: [email protected].


Fly Safe!

 

[pilotchick]

thanks,
I got in.

 

[PsubS]

Greed. It's not a pretty sight.

Just because one can do something does not mean that one should do something...

 

[Raoul Duke]

don't do it, you can share in any class action settlement without having to pay any attorneys fees to this firm.

 

[Bavarian Chef]

don't do it, you can share in any class action settlement without having to pay any attorneys fees to this firm.

If I have this right from the law firm, it's not a class action lawsuit per se, and the settlement (if any) will only cover pilots on retainer. The pilots on retainer are not "suing" on the behalf of all JB pilots, and hell, we are all on individual contracts anyway.

But then, I'm a pilot. Not a lawyer. Or management. I'm better than that -- I have a soul.

 

[FNG320]

don't do it, you can share in any class action settlement without having to pay any attorneys fees to this firm.

This guy doesn't know what he is talking about. This is not a class action law suit. Our individual contracts limit us to chain of command/mediations/binding arbitration. We cannot sue JetBlue. Becuase we are 2000 individual contractors if you do not retain LLBL, then you are on your own to follow the same process (chain of command/mediations/arbitrations). In addition, you will not have access to any of the information from other such actions. You will be forced to hire your own lawyer/firm to represent you. If you don't file your own grevience, you do not profit from what LLBL does, you remain on your own contract, or if you are a prior JetBlue pilot, you are still on you own to file.

Just my opinion.......

FNG

 

[FNG320]

Greed. It's not a pretty sight.

Just because one can do something does not mean that one should do something...

It is not greed. It is lost wages. Lost wages due to inflation. Lost wages for no pay raises from 2001-2007 and minor ones after that. A retro pay raise of 26% would correct for the 22-24% inflation and then give us enough for another year. It is not greed, it is what we were promised from the beginning (but they failed to deliver)

Just my opinion.......

FNG

 

[pipejockey]

Greed. It's not a pretty sight.

Just because one can do something does not mean that one should do something...

This guys nuts!! Airline management has been paying pilots only a fraction of what they were paid prior to 9/11 and now he wants to see the pilots not get what they are due? And yet another reason this profession will never be viable living anymore. You never, ever, here a doctor or lawyer say that they think they are paid enough, yet pilots....thats another story. Pathetic!!

 

[linepilot]

This guys nuts!! Airline management has been paying pilots only a fraction of what they were paid prior to 9/11 and now he wants to see the pilots not get what they are due? And yet another reason this profession will never be viable living anymore. You never, ever, here a doctor or lawyer say that they think they are paid enough, yet pilots....thats another story. Pathetic!!

Pilots who continually say that we all make too much on the line always have a comfy place waiting for them in management or in some boondoggle of a company committee. When they start making management pay, it becomes even easier to go out and preach to their fellow pilots about greed. It only takes a huge amount of self-delusion or GREED to achieve this kind of hypocrisy.

 

[Splert]

Greed. It's not a pretty sight.

Just because one can do something does not mean that one should do something...

Then jetBlue should have retro'd the current adjustment to April of 2008 instead of post dating the retro to June of 2009 or to the date the our former VP of Ops was caught on tape saying which was Jan 2008.

We are the only pilot group that thinks post dating pay is retro pay.

Then there are all the other adjustments the company alone has stalled for 4 years.

Funny thing is JetBlue only has management to blame not negoiatation with evil unions.

 

[murano]

I'm a little slow, so bear with me. What's this "lawsuit" about? Not getting a Cost of living Adjustment due to inflation? I left there 1Q07, am I "eligible"?

 

[PsubS]

This guys nuts!!

Pipejockey, were you referring to my greatly admired testicles, or were you simply punctuationally inept?

BTW, I never said we pilots "make too much." I did say that greed motivates this move. I think it is an accurate assessment. Nope, I'm not in management, nor do I have a comfy committee income. You may try to malign my motives on some other basis.

Fact: You guys are certainly within your rights to file for mediation and subsequently arbitration. I just won't join you.

My take: The company clearly placed 3A in the PEA to protect the new hires. You guys are taking advantage of a nebulously worded sentence to either:
a. "Stick it to the man" for past transgressions, real and perceived, or
b. hopefully make some fast money, or
c. a combination of the two.

JetBlue has not lived by it's own core values in several cases. In other examples, they've done a pretty good job. Just like any corporation, we've got our problems. Just because the company has not always done the right thing does not mean that I must follow suit. Ethically (or rationally) I can not support this action.

FNG, your COLA drum has been booming for years now. OK, I get it, and it's a real problem. But please don't use the loss of real income due to inflation as a half-baked excuse for joining this action. You simply want a shot at gaining a pot of money based on a contract language mistake. That's fine for you...really.

Just not for me.

 

[linepilot]

I'm a little slow, so bear with me. What's this "lawsuit" about? Not getting a Cost of living Adjustment due to inflation? I left there 1Q07, am I "eligible"?

It's not a lawsuit. It's a dispute resolution.
You are eligible.

 

[Bavarian Chef]

You simply want a shot at gaining a pot of money based on a contract language mistake.

Are you kidding? Wow.

"Hey JetBlue management, I know you made a mistake when you wrote the contract. Don't worry, I forgive you."

Since when has holding JB to our contract become a greedy endeavor?

 

[Bavarian Chef]

... nebulously worded sentence ...

Yep, a law firm was willing to work for us because of a "nebulously worded sentence".

I'm no legal expert, but my gut feeling is that they are onboard because they see the potential upside as being very real, i.e. this sentence isn't as nebulous as you make it out to be.

Who knows. Only time will tell.

 

[linepilot]

I would think Jetblue would want to reach a speedy, and above all, quiet settlement.

 

[PsubS]

Yep, a law firm was willing to work for us because of a "nebulously worded sentence".

Exactly right. They are willing to work for you. They smell money...

...too bad it's money from the pilot's who signed up.

Chef, do you honestly...and I mean honestly...think that the whole 3A action is not trying to take advantage of a loophole?

 

[Bavarian Chef]

Chef, do you honestly...and I mean honestly...think that the whole 3A action is not trying to take advantage of a loophole?

Please, internet minions, let that one soak in.

A loophole in a legally binding contract between two parties, one of which had no say in its creation -- wow.

Listen Colonel, which part of YOUR contract are you willing to leave unenforced?

What exactly do YOU have to lose by trying to have YOUR contract enforced the way it was written?

 

[V2+10]

Gotta agree with the greed angle. I do find it ironic however that the majority of pilots pushing this issue forward were supporters of JBPA. Sorry, but this whole issue reeks of revenge for an election lost...by a wide margin. Get over it.

 

[Bavarian Chef]

Sorry, but this whole issue reeks of revenge for an election lost...by a wide margin. Get over it.

I'm notching out of this futile waste of time. Anyone that chooses to dispute this section of your contract as a loophole that the company should fix to prevent them from future damages, then by all means do it. Or should you choose to demand that the company enforce your contract as written, well that's fine too.

Either way, no one should pass judgement on pilots with individual contracts (to include me in previous posts). They must address their own contract individually, and without prejudice from their peers.

Again, only time will tell if this pursuit will bear fruit.

 

[clickclickboom]

Chef some of these replies have to be flamebait because no rational human being could actually have that mentality.

Here is another angle on this contract that WAS written by management and agreed to by pilots

Lets just say that the company OVERPAID you for some reason or another for three years and as a senior FO on the bus you were overpaid $35,000-$40,000. Maybe it was an oversight maybe an error. If they discovered that error do you think that the comapny would just let it slide because expecting your reimbursement was greedy?


Absa********************inglutely you would be dragged out on the carpet and gutted on top of the altar and fired if for some reason you didnt get canned your pay would immediately be gutted for repayment.

I didnt sign YET but I can guarantee you that if the comapny expects me to uphold my side of the contract then they to are accountable.

 

[PsubS]

A loophole in a legally binding contract between two parties, one of which had no say in its creation -- wow.

Ahh, good. Then we both agree that this is a loophole.

Now all we are debating is the motivation behind your filing. Again, I support your right to file for a judgement...I just don't agree with the action.

 

[Bavarian Chef]

Ahh, good. Then we both agree that this is a loophole.

Now all we are debating is the motivation behind your filing. Again, I support your right to file for a judgement...I just don't agree with the action.

Huh? Did I agree? Nope.

Motivation? How do you know my motivation? And why should you care? I have my own individual contract with JetBlue. Do you doubt the motivation of all our management pilots working for 90 hour guarantees on flex time so they can avoid crappy lines or CA reserve on the bus?

Hell no! They just negotiated a better contract.

I'm not debating anything.

 

[PsubS]

Huh? Did I agree? Nope.

Motivation? How do you know my motivation? And why should you care?

Gee, you are all over the place, Chef...

First you describe the loophole as a binding contract between two parties, one of which...well, you know the rest. You wrote it.

Then you say that you don't agree with what you wrote.

Sorry...I guess I don't get your point.

 

[murano]

I threw out my old JetBlue "contract" a while ago. Someone please enlighten me what section 3A was about? And can we be a little more vague about this please? What exactly are you guys fighting for here?

 

[Splert]

Gotta agree with the greed angle. I do find it ironic however that the majority of pilots pushing this issue forward were supporters of JBPA. Sorry, but this whole issue reeks of revenge for an election lost...by a wide margin. Get over it.

Funny, the two WRC members who retained the law firm are BoBs.

Nice try...

 

[Splert]

I threw out my old JetBlue "contract" a while ago. Someone please enlighten me what section 3A was about? And can we be a little more vague about this please? What exactly are you guys fighting for here?

Basically when the company gave raises to newly hired pilots of XX.X% percentage the contact either does or does not require (depends who you ask) all pilots base rate to be raised by the same percentage.

Yikes...

 

[murano]

You mean the raise you guys just got a few months ago? How would this have anything to do with me (a pilot who left Jetblue in 2007)?

 

[bluesideup340]

Here is what the section says:

3a.
Base Salary. The Pilot will be compensated as set forth in the Addendum A of this Agreement which is incorporated herein by reference. If at any time during the life of this Agreement the Airline increases the base salary it pays to newly-hired pilots performing duties either as Captain or First Officers, the Pilot’s base salary shall be adjusted be the same percentage as the increase in base salary.

 

[linepilot]

You mean the raise you guys just got a few months ago? How would this have anything to do with me (a pilot who left Jetblue in 2007)?

They gave a 26% raise to first year pilots in early 2007 and they didn't adjust the rest of the pay scales.

The way I understand it, if you were on anything other than first year pay, you are eligible.

You need to e-mail Cassamento for a password to the site. It explains everything in great detail.