All,
I believe there is one critical component that must be highlighted in the company’s option to recognize a single transportation system, and that is the fact no third party such as the NMB or arbitrator would be able to screw up what should be addressed directly between the company, union, and employees.
It should be recognized by all that if the company elects to recognize a single transportation system under the terms of LOA 01-013 it protects the NJA, NJLA, and NJI pilots in the most fair and equitable manner while establishing job security, wages, benefits, and working conditions that as a whole, top the industry more now than ever before. How would NJA or NJI pilots react to an arbitrators ruling such as the US Airways/America West (East-West) ruling? Nobody ever knows who ends up on top. How would that affect the brand and work environment at NetJets when the level of professional courtesy and recognition, pilot to pilot, today is admirable. How does working under the terms and conditions of the IBB proposal harm any NetJets pilot; whether NJA, NJLA, or NJI? It doesn’t. It’s an exceptional proposal.
The NetJets pilots union has no alternative but to advocate and advance the bargaining unit’s interests in new career opportunities. Nothing agreed to by the union and company resolves the single carrier dispute unless the company serves notice and elects to recognize a single transportation system; which the union has no option but to advance through the NMB processes of a single carrier filing or future bargaining.
When one steps back and takes an objective look, there is no doubt it’s in all parties interest for the company to recognize a single transportation system; one company, one seniority list, one contract - the best company, the best opportunities, and the best contract. That being said, there is nothing that forces the company to do so – short of an NMB single carrier filing or future bargaining. And, the distinct positions are still there; the company says they are not a single transportation system, while the union says it is. That has not changed.
What has changed? The company now has the option to avoid all the fighting, contentious seniority integration battles, and future bargaining of terms and conditions at NJA and NJI. The company now has a fully developed option to choose 8 or more years of labor peace where the focus is on the future growth and development of the business. Not labor unrest and infighting. This is a telling moment in NetJets history and I am confident the pilots, all pilots, will recognize it’s best to move forward, not look back, and it’s far better to be working together than to distracted by internal labor disputes.
Sincerely,