Jetblue Pilots Vote Union Down

[captain caveman]

...and TWA

 

[CTflyer]

I don't think there are any eastern scabs at Jetblue. That would be Airtran. There are, however, lots of USair.

Actually we have 2 or 3 Eastern scabs at JB.

 

[Daytonaflyer]

Well this isn't a surprise. It's actually quite typical for the first union vote. When the union drive begins, the senior pilots earning over $150K/yr usually come out strong against union representation. Their seemingly "educated" comments tend to sway many newer, younger, less experienced pilots who in return vote "no" for union representation.

Management breathes a sigh of relief, the senior pilots go back to their homes with their swimming pools and Merdedes Benz's, and the junior pilots go back to their apartments and crash pads thinking they made a good decision; yet they have a lingering concern in the back of their minds.

The following year, the majority of the pilot group begin to realize that they are not the ones bringing home $150K+ and they are not enjoying the fruits of their labor as much as those who voted against the union. The management continues business as usual; pissing off pilots, abusing work rules, and offering nothing in the way of improvements.

The second attempt at unionization usually passes with an overwhelming majority vote. And it only wasted a couple years, thousands of work hours, and many of your hard earned dollars for the rest of the pilot group to pull their heads out of their butts.

I'm sure someday the exact same process will unfold at my airline.

 

[fifty30retard]

This is a truly unfortunate vote for Jet Blue and the industry.

For those of you on the losing side, this is only the beginning. Stay strong, continue to educate your fellow pilots, and don’t give up the fight.

AA767AV8TOR

Great post. Just be nice to the B6 jumpseaters, at least there were 646 of us that voted yes.

 

[nosoupforyou!]

Great post. Just be nice to the B6 jumpseaters, at least there were 646 of us that voted yes.

Including me.

 

[shadesofBS]

My personal action plan.

1. I will never clean another cabin.
2. Public Relations isn't in my pilot agreement and I was never very good at it anyway. There are enough things to worry about in the flight deck and face time in the cabin isn't a good idea with my attitude.
3. When I'm off the clock, it's time to go home.

 

[GuppyPuppy]

While I am disappointed in the results, I hope that next time an ALPA drive will begin. Maybe folks will start to realize that without a union, we will continue to get walked on by management.

I voted for ALPA and will do so next time as well.

GP
Member of the 33%.

 

[jbucpt]

Here's my $.02 given my many years in the airline business: I think you guys made a TERRIBLE mistake. You had a chance and you blew it again.

You need leverage nowadays. How did Southwest get raises during one of the worst recessions in history? How did Netjets get the leading pay/benefits package in the fractional industry by a huge margin? You need collective bargaining to protect your interests and to ensure you are not played with by management. It's called bargaining leverage... I guess your former Eastern scab pilots won again.

Herculean mistake. Don't complain now that you've made your bed - you need to sleep in it.

bargaining leverage??? where have you been the last 8 years einstein?? please explain:

united pilots bargaining leverage the last 8 years..

usair pilots bargaining leverage??

twa pilots bargaining leverage??

delta/nwa seniorty determined by ONE MAN- the
arbitrator...alot of bargaining leverage there.

airtrans bargaining leverage under the RLA the last 4+ years.

yeah, im impressed with the "bargaining leverage" that airline unions have had the last 8 years.

 

[Blue Dude]

Pot. Kettle. Black.

Show me where there was bargaining *at all* at JetBlue for the last almost 10 years. Result: less than industry average in almost every area even after everyone else's concessions.

*crickets*

 

[Deli Guy]

Here's my $.02 given my many years in the airline business: I think you guys made a TERRIBLE mistake. You had a chance and you blew it again.

You need leverage nowadays. How did Southwest get raises during one of the worst recessions in history? How did Netjets get the leading pay/benefits package in the fractional industry by a huge margin? You need collective bargaining to protect your interests and to ensure you are not played with by management. It's called bargaining leverage... I guess your former Eastern scab pilots won again.

Herculean mistake. Don't complain now that you've made your bed - you need to sleep in it.

Or....its the first step towards the next attempt. Do the 633 guys who tried get no credit? I really think there were at least 368 pilots who did not vote simply based on Dave Barger's past ideas and loyalty to the original Jetblue. I think a year will probably change a lot of minds. We do not need to sleep in it because that implies surrender.