Citation Air are now Teamsters

[johnnyride24]

Citation Air Pilots Vote For Teamster Representation
CitationAir Pilots Vote For Teamster Representation

July 6, 2011
More Than 350 Pilots Join Local 1108
(WASHINGTON)—More than 350 CitationAir Pilots voted to join the Teamsters Union today, announced Capt. David Bourne, Director of the Teamsters Airline Division. After the National Mediation Board (NMB) certifies the election, the pilots will become members of Local 1108 and join more than 75,000 airline industry workers currently represented by the Teamsters Airline Division.

“The Teamsters Union looks forward to working with the pilots of CitationAir to preserve and improve their compensation, benefits, work rules and just-cause job protections under a union contract, like those guaranteed at other fractional operators we have organized,” Bourne said. “These rights will be secured by an enforceable contract, rather than promulgated by the company ‘for informational purposes only,’ as in the past.”

CitationAir is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Cessna Aircraft Company. It provides private aviation services through fractional jet ownership or the purchase of prepaid flight hours. Its fleet consists of 84 Cessna Citations that are operated 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents more than 1.4 million hard-working men and women in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.



Press Contact

Galen Munroe

[email protected]

202-624-6904

 

[jynxyjericho]

Is this a first union for the CS people?

 

[tdwnds1]

Yes, I wish them well in the upcoming negotiations.

 

[HSDriver]

Their fun is just starting.

 

[CALRepublic]

Not a big fan of unions, never have been, but the more I think about it the more I believe unions will become a necessary evil in the very near future. With companies always looking to keep their investors happy by penny pinching their employees, and investors becoming more and more greedy (and ruthless), I believe unions will be making a comeback.

I'm actually going from not liking unions to "I'm happy we have one". All due to management and investor attitude.

 

[Captainzero1]

Congratulations CALRepublic on getting a clue.

 

[jonjuan]

BUt doesn't ca already have a better contract (pay, 401k, etc) than fltops?

 

[guido411]

No such thing as a contract without being a union shop.

 

[Fresh Air]

BUt doesn't ca already have a better contract (pay, 401k, etc) than fltops?

First, CA does not have a Collective Bargaining Agreement (contract). Without a CBA or representation, anything they had could have been taken away from them with an email. They still are without a CBA, but as of last week, they are represented, which makes it much more difficult for CA management to take things away while in contract negotiations. Essentially, the company cannot appear to be (in the eyes of a judge) "punishing" the pilot group for voting for representation. How this played out at FLOPS is that when something was taken from the pilot group (401K match for example) it had to be taken from all employees to avoid singling out the pilot group.

Second, you are correct, the CA pay, schedule, and some other terms of employment are much better than we have here at FLOPS. Before our CBA we were paid 40 percent less than the other jet frax, and had no scope protection or legally enforceable work rules of any kind. Now we are paid 30 percent less, but have those protections. Much less than we hoped for, but more than we had before.

The fact that CA pay and schedule are so much closer than we were to the industry norm should make it that much less difficult for their Negotiating Committee when it comes time to bargain over pay. We were trying to dig our way out of a really deep hole, and the CA pilots' hole is not quite so deep.

 

[netjetwife]

Congratulations to the Citation Shares/Air pilots and their families!

Hear! Hear! A seat at the table and a voice in your future!

I strongly believe that pilots are in the best position to represent their own interests and viewpoint, just as managers do for management. Getting everything nailed down in a binding contract will benefit all involved. It does go both ways, just as a friendly reminder to those who may still be adjusting to the idea.

Best Wishes!!
NJW

 

[netjetwife]

..... I'm actually going from not liking unions to "I'm happy we have one". All due to management and investor attitude.

Far be it from me to say I told you so....

Seriously, CAL, I think that you're reading the writing on the wall very accurately. So who will be next...Flex or AvantAir?

Guesses anyone?

 

[rajflyboy]

Not a big fan of unions, never have been, but the more I think about it the more I believe unions will become a necessary evil in the very near future. With companies always looking to keep their investors happy by penny pinching their employees, and investors becoming more and more greedy (and ruthless), I believe unions will be making a comeback.

I'm actually going from not liking unions to "I'm happy we have one". All due to management and investor attitude.

Right on Brother

 

[Downwind]

Good luck. Make sure your scope is air tight.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

 

[AftCG182]

Far be it from me to say I told you so....

Seriously, CAL, I think that you're reading the writing on the wall very accurately. So who will be next...Flex or Avantair?

Guesses anyone?

Please don't drag us into this. Best of luck to the CitationAir guys/gals.

 

[ProFracPilot]

Please don't drag us into this. Best of luck to the CitationAir guys/gals.

I love this, as if Avantair (or any pilot group) can be "dragged" into organizing. If it happens to your pilot group Aft, it happens from within. And as our (now former) VP of Flight Operations like to say at FlOps: "A company gets the union they deserve". Very prescient, that VP...

Congrats to CitationAir and welcome.

 

[netjetwife]

You may not be curious, Aft, but CAL's prediction does naturally beg the question. Now that non-unionized frac pilotgroups (2) are in the minority it's logical to wonder how long it will be before the count drops to 1.

I think it's great how frac pilots are able to set aside past disagreements and focus on getting a contract. It is noteworthy that even those in the minority... will wish a newly organized group success. And why not? History has shown that improvements in pay, benefits, work rules, scheduling, etc helps every pilotgroup in the industry...

Cheers for the Citation pilotgroup! And any others that may decide to join them in their pursuit of a fair and binding contract...:beer:


Good post, PFP! I especially like the welcome. It is a milestone for both 1108 groups....

 

[XTW]

Go away NJW. Your alter-ego is very annoying with your rah-rah-sis-boom-bah.

X

 

[AftCG182]

I love this, as if Avantair (or any pilot group) can be "dragged" into organizing. If it happens to your pilot group Aft, it happens from within... Congrats to CitationAir and welcome.

As usual, I'm clear as mud. Don't drag Avantair into this discussion. I'm fully aware that when a union is brought on property, it's by a majority vote.

 

[SpaceBall 1]

Second, you are correct, the CA pay, schedule, and some other terms of employment are much better than we have here at FLOPS. Before our CBA we were paid 40 percent less than the other jet frax, and had no scope protection or legally enforceable work rules of any kind. Now we are paid 30 percent less, but have those protections. Much less than we hoped for, but more than we had before.

So FLOPS still sucks....however, it sucks 10% less than the past. The fact the CA matched our pay in the past unfortunately held no water with 51% of our pilot group. Yes, changes to the pay scale and benefits for ALL employess have occured over the past two years. At the same time, we have been (still are) weathering the 2nd great depression.

I fail to see how FLOPS increase in pay will help us when their payscale is inferior to the CA payscale. During the whole union process, I asked many of our pilots if any of them would want to change places with an equivalent seniorty pilot at FLOPS. Guess what, no takers. However, 51% of my fellow CA pilots said they want the same union. Go figure...

Don't get me wrong, I want all of us making $1,000,000 flying 10 days a month, but that isn't realistic. I could have gotten behind an in-house orginazation, bot NOT the IBT!

This is going to be a tough road. The election didn't win by a huge majority by any stretch. And....those of us that didn't want it, still don't.

 

[Fresh Air]

SpaceBall, I agree with everything in your post, except IMHO life at flops is about 25% better since the CBA; 10 percent for the pay, and I'll allow another 15 percent for the rules and protections . Here's my point: The CBA improved life here for most of us, enough to make it well worth the hundred bucks per month dues.

You're right, our crappy pay won't help you at all in negotiations. Frankly, I don't expect your CBA to give you much of a pay raise if any at all, since you guys are already at or near industry standard. What a CBA WILL do for you is to keep your company from cutting your pay again, and put your scope protections and work rules in a legally enforceable document.

One last word of advice from one who's been through the process recently: Even if you're against the Union, hate it, and hate everyone involved in it, don't let it show to management. There's nothing management negotiators love to see more than a divided pilot group! Divided = weak, and showing weakness to the people on the other side of the negotiating table is a sure way to get a lousy contract that takes years and years to achieve.

Wishing you all the best of luck in the task ahead of you.

 

[1folinepilot]

Dues?

At what start date are the CA pilots required to pay dues? Were they sold the same line of crap that they don't have to pay till the contract is ratified, or were they told the truth that they have to pay from day one?

 

[XTW]

At what start date are the CA pilots required to pay dues? Were they sold the same line of crap that they don't have to pay till the contract is ratified, or were they told the truth that they have to pay from day one?

The first day of the third month after the vote was taken, October 1st.


X

 

[The Dude Abides]

At what start date are the CA pilots required to pay dues? Were they sold the same line of crap that they don't have to pay till the contract is ratified, or were they told the truth that they have to pay from day one?

Didn't FLOPS and NJ vote to change the Bylaws to read as they now do?

 

[jetwash]

Didn't FLOPS and NJ vote to change the Bylaws to read as they now do?

Yes we did.

I remember voting YES to change the bylaws and have to start paying dues.

How can I expect other pilots to pay for the lawyers and negotiators that are working to get me a contract. I appreciate and thank the Netjet pilots for helping us get started.

And would do it again since working under a contract is worth it!

 

[dime line]

Yes we did.

I remember voting YES to change the bylaws and have to start paying dues.

How can I expect other pilots to pay for the lawyers and negotiators that are working to get me a contract. I appreciate and thank the Netjet pilots for helping us get started.

And would do it again since working under a contract is worth it!

Wow somebody else who gets it.

 

[The Dude Abides]

Yes we did.

I remember voting YES to change the bylaws and have to start paying dues.

How can I expect other pilots to pay for the lawyers and negotiators that are working to get me a contract. I appreciate and thank the Netjet pilots for helping us get started.

And would do it again since working under a contract is worth it!

Thought so. So how can someone complain about the line of crap if they voted for the crap? The organizers at CA have been very upfront about dues.

 

[dime line]

Thought so. So how can someone complain about the line of crap if they voted for the crap? The organizers at CA have been very upfront about dues.

CHEAP people that want to ride on the coat-tails of others.
We have heard every excuse know to humanity for not paying dues!

 

[REINER]

Congrats on your new labor representation. Hope that goes well for all who voted yes. Oh, by the way, he is were your hard earned money is going.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/vi...n_gop_lets_take_these_son_of_bitches_out.html

Congrats Again!!!!!!!!!!!!Morons

 

[jetwash]

Congrats on your new labor representation. Hope that goes well for all who voted yes. Oh, by the way, he is were your hard earned money is going.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/vi...n_gop_lets_take_these_son_of_bitches_out.html

Congrats Again!!!!!!!!!!!!Morons

The unedited story should also be viewed


http://mediamatters.org/blog/201109050003

Unfortunately there are some who get their news solely from Fox.

 

[glasspilot]

Why do people still watch Fox? I'll never understand the desire to be lied to...

Switching video to make it appear like more people attended Becks march in Washington, omitting the name of the "Arab" who has money in the mosque at Ground Zero in New York (oh yeah, that guy also owns a huge share of Fox....

The list goes on and on. Fox has no ethics. Nothing should surprise you about them except their great ratings...which says a bit about those that watch.