Jet Blue Pilot Contract

[SKYMASTER]

You sure that horse is dead?

 

[FDJ2]

Sarcasm aside, what is the real reason for the five year contract? I've heard that it gives the pilot the option to leave JBLU at the end of the contract, but don't you have the option to leave anytime you want already? Then why the contract? Is it something peculiar to NY labor laws? Is it a training contract? Why does JBLU have each pilot sign one?

 

[IB6 UB9]

Dogwood,


Thanks for the reply, I was just trying to make sense of the comment posted by your co-worker, working for free is a bold statement!

I am wondering how you keep a medical.

 

[Realistic]

Seriously though,
Can we rely on a five year, reviewable contract to protect a hard won career that is dependent on seniority and will terminate at 60? An accountant can go anywhere and find a job - a pilot with a five year contract has a very big rock hanging over his head. He could lose his house. That is a very strong reason to shut up and make donuts when he doesn't have the protections enjoyed by most pilots.
What happens when a good pilot with good customer service and leadership skills (who loves to have fun) begins to lead in a direction that the administration is opposed to? Will this trigger a review?
Is someone free to pull together a coalition of like minded pilots (with the purpose of "speaking up") without fear of review?
I don't know the answer to any of these questions. But they are serious questions and if we read through the contract, many other serious questions can be raised - the most serious regarding job security.
I don't find them funny because there are paragraphs in that contract that were clearly put there for a reason.
In fact, some of it is downright scary.
Realistic

 

[FlyBoeingJets]

Is there a copy of the contract available for public viewing??

 

[F18-FDX]

The contract is obviously there for a reason, so management retains control. No they're not going to can everyone at the five year point, in fact they probably don't get rid of anyone. But the fact remains, they can.

I think Blue has a great work environment, a fun place to work and certainly off to a good start. Long term job security, however, doesn't seem to come with the package. I have several good friends who work there and love it, however they are very aware that they need to keep their "noses clean". They have to hope that management will "do the right thing" for the next 20+ years of their career. So far, so good. I wasn't willing to take the gamble, but I won't bash those who have. JB has a good thing going, if you don't like it, don't apply. I think there are other folks out there who are seriously interested though, and are just trying to get a straight answer to base a potential career decision upon.

 

[#1 Windmilling]

Realistic,

While previously sarcastic with you about Duane Woerth, your comments
have an air redolent of one who seeks union representation at Jet Blue. Just curious....

-W

 

[B747FR8DAWG]

I am wondering how you keep a medical.

?????????????

 

[jetblue320]

The funny thing is some people on this forum don't get the sarcasm..........LOL

Some people on this forum don't get ANYTHING...let alone sarcasm!

But, they never give up on the JB contract......


I am past 5 and coming up on 6 and haven't even been threatened yet.

Signed it, sealed it, and never looked back..

C yaaa

 

[Dizel8]

My five year contract just expired tonight and crews sevices just called and cancelled my trip tomorrow. Should I be worried???

 

[B-atch]

Can I SAY something?........

 

[Flechas]

Can I SAY something?........

You may!

 

[WyoHerkdriver]

Why would management not renew the contract? Something like NOT doing your share of cleaning the cabin and lavatories between flights?

 

[Blue Dude]

Why would management not renew the contract? Something like NOT doing your share of cleaning the cabin and lavatories between flights?

Don't know. It's never (not) been done!

 

[FlyBoeingJets]

Is there a copy of the contract available for public viewing??

Any Blue dudes available for comment?

 

[jbucpt]

the five year contract has worked out well for me...... after my 5th year i passed the re-interview process with ease, i bid for long beach as a base and got it!! the lines out of long beach are not a good as JFK, but with upgrades going fast i should be able to hold a decent first officer line in about 8 months......

i love cali!!!

 

[Flying Freddie]

I like the five year plan because everyone is senior for one day.

 

[WyoHerkdriver]

Great - so after five years (if they decide you are worthy to stay on) you go back to being a first officer? Wow, that will be a great deal when the 190s come online (given the great payrates).

 

[Realistic]

I keep hearing from my fellow pilots "jetBlue wouldn't do that" or "why wouldn't they renew?" or "I'm not worried." That's fine and it may be true. But that's a whole lot of one way trust and I can say that I've seen this before. I've also heard the, "but we're different" line. I won't say if, going forward, jetBlue is "the real thing" or not but we're talking about business here - and, in the end, business is business - our insurance plan proves that.
I'm certain you won't hear the attorneys who drew up our contract talking about faith and trust.
Are we subcontractors? Would a five year contract completely head off a card signing campaign? If so, was that the intention all along? I don't know. I only know that I've been fooled before by good men and women who, in the end, realized that business is business.
Take a look at the section on Discharge. Who decides if I'm living the values? That's a pretty broad definition, isn't it? I don't think I would want an administrative law judge determining whether or not I have integrity.
Granted, the hammer has never fallen, but we also haven't had a whole lot of dissension in the ranks either.
What happens the day someone pushes a little too hard and begins to rally pilots to a particular cause that isn't in keeping with the business model?
All it would take is a phone call by someone asking that particular pilot to review his contract before he speaks up again. Many of us have already violated the nondisclosure portion of our contract by even speaking about it (good or bad) on this web-site. Did you know that we're prohibited from discussing things that we've heard in pocket sessions or pilot meetings?
We have some very fine people leading this company and my post is not intended to disparage the relationship that we enjoy with our management. I respect them and I respect what we have accomplished together. But I am, after many years in this industry, a cynic and I have always observed that business is business.
-Realistic

 

[IB6 UB9]

Great - so after five years (if they decide you are worthy to stay on) you go back to being a first officer? Wow, that will be a great deal when the 190s come online (given the great payrates).

...yawn...