FlexJet - Time for a Union

[ArtVandalay]

All I can say to you is actions speak louder than words.

 

[Flyingdog1]

yes they do.

 

[FalconPilot69]

Hey Art, you would be surprised by the amounts of the top 100 who support a union. The problem is 2 fold. You don't have the unity to support a union nor do you actually have the will to have one. Yes, the leadership needs to come from the top, but some of the leaders can't lead themselves out of a wet paper bag. And dog, I represent that JAFFO comment : )

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Well this is a first, not one anti-union post from anyone at flex. maybe this is the right time? so then the next question is, now what?

 

[fob727]

Well this is a first, not one anti-union post from anyone at flex. maybe this is the right time? so then the next question is, now what?

call the teamsters.

 

[o2bflyn]

call the teamsters.

try Norma Rae

 

[FalconPilot69]

To have a successful union drive, you need to have strong leadership. Based on the last failed attempt, the Flexjet pilot group does not have that. The best thing the organziers can do is talk to NJA guys and find out how they did it. Remember, the IBT was either their 2nd or 3rd union, it was not thier first. You are still going to have to swing some of the non union guys and the only way to do that is to have good sound points as to why we need one as opposed to why we don't. You will never win 100% approval, but if you have more than 75%, you now have a unified pilot group.

Leadership is everything. Case in point, managment had never lied to us until the new management change took place. They may have never answered a question or fixed things that we stated were broke, but they never flat out lied. The furloughs are not driving these latest talks, it is the deception from management that has spurred this. We are all intelligent to enough to know that the economy has driven our layoffs. However, a bad economy and loss of business does not constitute bold faced lies from the crystal palace.

Well this is a first, not one anti-union post from anyone at flex. maybe this is the right time? so then the next question is, now what?

 

[Rouge Warrior]

Never happen at flex the fractured fractional

 

[bunman45]

Let's do it!!

 

[japhy]

Never happen at flex the fractured fractional

You are right that it hasn't happened in the past, but things are different this time. Never is a long time.

 

[Hung Start]

We have the closest thing to an in-house with the CAB. And, that has done what???????

Go Teamster, Machinist,ALPA, Ladies Garment Workers, I don't care. But, not in-house!!


Hung

 

[ArtVandalay]

We have the closest thing to an in-house with the CAB. And, that has done what???????

Go Teamster, Machinist,ALPA, Ladies Garment Workers, I don't care. But, not in-house!!


Hung

.

I'm gonna have to 100% agree with the "not in-house" comment. I respect everyone on the CAB but, the CAB is a complete joke and accomplishes ZERO. And now they want volunteers for each gateway for WHAT? To take comments from crewmembers to pass them to the CAB to pass them to management? Is the CAB so busy working on our problems that they need secretaries to field questions from crewmembers? I mean, at least have a meeting once a month, not once every 6.

 

[BeeDubya]

The best thing the organziers can do is talk to NJA guys and find out how they did it. Remember, the IBT was either their 2nd or 3rd union, it was not thier first.

A couple things.

Executive Jet (now NetJets) organized around 1974, joining a Teamster Local. We remained Teamsters until last year, when we joined NJASAP. For 30-some years of being Teamsters, we were part of at least 2 -- and I think 3 -- Locals (we left 284 for 1108 in 2005).

While I'm sure NJ pilots will be more than happy to talk about our Union history, as part of our separation agreement from the IBT, we cannot organize other pilot groups for a period of time.

Best of luck to all at Flex,
Brian

 

[Nolife]

I'm sure flex will eventually unionize; it's just a matter of time. As growth resumes, laid off pilots get recalled, and new folks come aboard the majority will shift and a union will be voted in. It almost happened last time. There were more than the necessary 75% positive cards sent in from what I heard.

However right now unionization is proceeding at glacial speed. I'm looking forward to a flex union and perhaps then flex will truely be a great retirement gig.

 

[BeeDubya]

There were more than the necessary 75% positive cards sent in from what I heard.

The NMB requires that 35% of active pilots send in cards. The IBT normally likes to have around 65% before petitioning for a vote. We have always been reluctant to disclose publically the total number of cards received.

 

[netjetwife]

We should have done it a year ago but oh well. I bet those who got let go wished we had one. They got some wishy washy recall rights and the rest of us get no merit raises and a bunch are getting downgraded, and many are forced to work less than they want/need to. Whats next? And dont forget that we are below NJ and CS in pay and QOL issues. NJ has the best pay and benefits, yet they dont seem to be canning people. A union may not prevent layoffs, but it would have forced them to look elsewhere to cut costs instead of taking the easy way out and getting rid of almost 20% of their pilots.

Its time to do this. Everyone is talking about it, much more openly than they were a year ago even. My personal opinion is that an inhouse is the way to go, as this will satisfy all the teamster haters we have.

Inigo, better late than never. I fully support Flex pilots standing up for their right to work under a contract. A set of fair (legally binding) rules that all have to follow is definitely the way to go. However, for a group your size I don't think that going in-house will bring the desired results. Just as very few home owners start off in their dream house, the anti-Teamsters at Flex should realize that just getting a contract is important enough of a goal to accept less than the perfect scenario in the beginning. Good Luck! NJW

 

[FastJP4]

Inigo, better late than never. I fully support Flex pilots standing up for their right to work under a contract. A set of fair (legally binding) rules that all have to follow is definitely the way to go. However, for a group your size I don't think that going in-house will bring the desired results. Just as very few home owners start off in their dream house, the anti-Teamsters at Flex should realize that just getting a contract is important enough of a goal to accept less than the perfect scenario in the beginning. Good Luck! NJW

Takes a majority of the pilot group to be unified and have some backbone. Neither of those exist at Flex.

 

[netjetwife]

FJP4, they weren't always in ample supply among the NJ pilots either. Everyone has to start somewhere. Fortunately, backbones can be grown and standing together learned. NJASAP and 1108 pilots have proved that. The other frac pilots can do it, too.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Teamsters is probably the way to go to get started. We would always have the option of going in house like Netjets down the road.

We should all send in our cards again: http://ibt1108.org/

Lets get this going!! Again!!!1

 

[notapilot]

NJW unfortunately turns more people off than she thinks that she motivates. While I understand this is a public message board please do us a favor and zip it when it comes to our company that you have no specific knowledge about. You always pop up when the union subject is mentioned. You are as bad as B19 in some ways. While I personally have always supported a union at Flex, and I am in the top 40, I think that your involvement in this subject is highly inappropriate.