Orlando: channel 6 Reports JB moving to MCO

[clr4theapch]

Just watched the local channel 6 news cast at 1100pm.. they announced that Jet Blue was moving their NY HQ to MCO, no date was mentioned, however the Governor is looking into offering large tax incentives..

WESH 6 NEWS..

 

[Blue Dude]

WESH is channel 2. WKMG is channel 6. Neither has it on their websites.

 

[clr4theapch]

Well, I live here and watched the news report with great interest.. It would be fantastic to see the company locate here.. It should show up somewhere.. maybe the newspapers will have it tomorrow..

I would not make this up..

 

[Squirrel29]

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/AP/story/1434446.html

 

[2000Easyguy]

http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/money/011910-JetBlue-Orlando

 

[DieselDragRacer]

NYC to Orlando....talk about a drop in one's cost of doing business and cost of living.

 

[ProFracPilot]

State Invidiual Income Taxes: NY, 7.85%; FL, -0-. All employees who work at HQ would immediately benefit.

NY is seeing a mass exodus of employers simply because the legislature and Patterson administration are clueless. They're just taxing everyone out of the state.

 

[Blue Dude]

they announced that Jet Blue was moving their NY HQ to MCO

All of these stories say the same thing: JetBlue may decide to move to Orlando or stay in New York, and the decision will be made in a few months. This was publicly announced months ago. It is not news.

 

[Caveman]

Hopefully it's true and not just a planted news story trying to squeeze New York into giving us more incentives to stay.

 

[Hamburger]

All employees who work at HQ would immediately benefit.

You should be in Management. Choosing between your job and being displaced 1000 miles away from everything you know is for your benefit?

 

[clickclickboom]

Blue Dude

They are moving ops to MCO they are just going through the motions.

The bottom line is that our lease is up soon on that overpriced rat motel in forest hills and even offering $51,000 for schedulers with no experience required, the best we can get is the TSA flunkees. Lets face it New York, The politics, The work Ethic , The attitude, The cost of living, the blowing garbage, it all s-ucks!

I went shopping for the crash pad the other day, I took my receipt from the food town home and went to the grocery store in my town to compare the cost.

I live on a tourist island.

Food Towne: $57.34
Harris Teeter: $36.79

milk, bread, jelly, peanut butter, pepper jack cheese, triscuits, oatmeal, popcorm, 6 pack of ultra, garbage bags, scouring pad 3 pack

 

[ProFracPilot]

You should be in Management. Choosing between your job and being displaced 1000 miles away from everything you know is for your benefit?

Yeah, life sucks. And everything in life is a compromise. What if they closed the doors and the jobs just went away? Is THAT a better alternative to a relo? For most, I think not.

The state of NY is taxing individuals and businesses to death. Perhaps they should get a clue and try to figure out how to retain businesses and the jobs that go with them. Then companies like JB might not be faced with such a major decision.

BTW - I moved to a tax friendly state (FL) 10 years ago because I wanted to keep more of my hard earned $$. No, not everyone wants to uproot families to save money. But then again perhaps a good number of the 1000 people you refer to would welcome the move.

 

[Caveman]

As far as I'm concerned I hope we do move and all the Forrest Hillers quit rather than leave their beloved NYC. Good riddance. Let's get some folks working in the puzzle palace that have non-NYC centric perspective.

 

[MSNFlier]

Yup, FL is paradise....

Both states are awash in red ink, as are many other states. FL to the tune of over $3.2 billion and NY isn't doing much better - when considered against the total population of each state (recall that states must balance their budgets, unlike the feds).

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/legislature/story/1436834.html

While you may not have an income tax in FL, the state has to earn revenue somehow. If it's not income taxes, it's property taxes, sales taxes or a myriad of fees. If they don't, essential services like schools, fire/EMS/police protection and other state-funded services go wanting. It's all a matter of what trade-offs you're willing to accept, I suppose.

For example, in May of 2009 FL tried to fix a budget deficit by raising an historic amount of taxes, fees and licenses -- about $2 billion worth -- on smokers, drivers, property owners, sportsmen, university students and sportsmen. See this article.

An example of "what you're willing to accept" might be the following. I lived in south-central Wisconsin for over 40 years before moving the DCA area. Wisconsin has an income tax and the state funds 2/3 of the cost of public schools and the public university system (including technical schools). While there were exceptions, most service-oriented businesses seemed to be staffed by reasonably intelligent, conscientious and motivated people. Although I had traveled here for work 10-12 times a year, I rarely ventured outside of the District because I didn't need to rent a car. We usually went to nicer - but not fancy - restaurants and stayed in Marriotts or Hiltons, and rarely had any problems with service, etc.

Once I moved here and needed to get help with even the most mundane things, I quickly found that, well, your average service-industry person out here seemed to be dumb as a box of rocks and not all that motivated. I can't count the number of times I've had to go back two or three times to get things done right that would almost assuredly been no problem back home. At times I've wondered whether the comparatively awful educational system out here has an influence on those kinds of things.

Oh well, your mileage, of course, may vary.

 

[Hamburger]

What if they closed the doors and the jobs just went away? Is THAT a better alternative to a relo? For most, I think not.

Of course not. However, claiming that forcing them to uproot their lives if they want to keep their job is somehow doing them a favor because they will get a tax break is a silly, management-y statement. If they wanted the Florida tax break, they'd be living in Florida. They've already made the compromises you refer to by choosing to live and work in New York. This is the company imposing compromises on them.
While it may be good for the company, and it may not affect you personally, I have a hard time believing that every employee impacted would consider it beneficial. Headquarters types don't have the option to commute and live wherever they please that pilots enjoy.

 

[johnboy99]

Actually I hear Delta will be moving their headquarters to Queens. After all they are New York's hometown airline.

 

[njcapt]

I went shopping for the crash pad the other day, I took my receipt from the food town home and went to the grocery store in my town to compare the cost.

I live on a tourist island.

Food Towne: $57.34
Harris Teeter: $36.79

milk, bread, jelly, peanut butter, pepper jack cheese, triscuits, oatmeal, popcorm, 6 pack of ultra, garbage bags, scouring pad 3 pack

Well, there you go. You need to go with generic options and Natty Light.

I'm joking, as I'm crashing in Manhattan and have found like products to be 35-50% higher than in suburban Chicago. My benchmark is the Chipotle carnitas burrito which is $5.81 in Chicago and $7.89 at the 73rd and Amsterdam location.

 

[Headfake14]

IF we do make a move...I don't think it'll be 100% of the support from FSC. We'll still have some people in NY.

The ONLY way we'll stay is if NY give us a pretty sweet deal...it'll be all about the bottom $ in the end for this one.

 

[jws717]

My wife was looking at some accounting positions with jet blue. They were listed for Orlando on Monster.com

 

[GuinessGuy]

jws717.......thanks for the intel........looks like the MCO area is the choice. Now the company can "retain & attract" talent to work in the office.
Who the hell can afford to relocate and raise a family in Queens/Conn/"the Island".
In Brooklyn and Queens it's 500k to 700k for a twin, driveway not at each property at that price point. That is definately "off-the-radar" for the average Crew Scheduler.

 

[GBase24]

Actual average price of a house on long island is $350,00 not sure what your talking about yeah a real nice house 500 to 700k, and I am sure Florida will yield much better employee's as long as there isn't a Jerry Springer convention going on.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Yeah, life sucks. And everything in life is a compromise. What if they closed the doors and the jobs just went away? Is THAT a better alternative to a relo? For most, I think not.

The state of NY is taxing individuals and businesses to death. Perhaps they should get a clue and try to figure out how to retain businesses and the jobs that go with them. Then companies like JB might not be faced with such a major decision.

BTW - I moved to a tax friendly state (FL) 10 years ago because I wanted to keep more of my hard earned $$. No, not everyone wants to uproot families to save money. But then again perhaps a good number of the 1000 people you refer to would welcome the move.

What about jb employees that are from NY and have sick family members that depend on jb health care plans, the employees income and close proximity to care for them....?

Glad you did for you what you wanted to do..... but one size doesn't fit all....

 

[bluesideup340]

What about jb employees that are from NY and have sick family members that depend on jb health care plans, the employees income and close proximity to care for them....?

Glad you did for you what you wanted to do..... but one size doesn't fit all....

Rez get of your high horse

What about the pilot who doesn't want ALPA politics? Remember one size doesn't fit all.

I have to give you that -- you are a piece of work.

 

[StarChecker]

What about jb employees that are from NY and have sick family members that depend on jb health care plans, the employees income and close proximity to care for them....?

Glad you did for you what you wanted to do..... but one size doesn't fit all....

Depend on JetBlue health plans??? For what?!?!

Sucking money out of my pocket?....:angryfire

 

[StarChecker]

What about the pilot who doesn't want ALPA politics? Remember one size doesn't fit all.

What about the rest of us who want a B-fund? Or a seperate health plan?

Have you read the e-mails from our own committees?


From the CBC:


"Members of the CBC made numerous efforts to influence the shaping of the 2010 benefits package. During the several months when the final package was being crafted we found ourselves on the outside and unable to engage the People department in any meaningful way. Essentially we were frozen out when all of the decisions were being made."


From the PVC:


"Many changes within our department are occurring without our knowledge. Flight Operations created a new vision for our department without the involvement or collaboration with the PVC. It was presented to senior leadership last December, unfortunately they failed to share the contents of this briefing with us; we hope this vision provides the needed structure to grow a healthy relationship between JetBlue and its pilots. We are disappointed we did not learn of these changes from CA Sandoval, much like the change to the FSM approval process, nor are any of these changes occurring in collaboration with the Pilot Values Committee."




Wake up! This is happening right now. Remember all the "We get it's" we heard?!

This is the direct relationship we were promised....it's a fantasy. Show me the alternative to ALPA that will get me a B-fund and I'm all for it. Guess what? There is none...a B-fund is illegal without a CBA.

I may need surgery this year....wish I had a number I could call for confidential advice regarding my medical...guess I'll call f-ing AOPA.

We need a CBA....yesterday. I know a union is a two-edged sword, but we need a CBA...please vote for the road to a CBA. Me and family can't afford to wait anymore.

 

[GuinessGuy]

I also want white shirts.........and hats

 

[bluesideup340]

What about the rest of us who want a B-fund? Or a seperate health plan?

How may ALPA pilot groups have a B fund?


What makes you think a seperate health plan under a CBA is going to be better?

 

[StarChecker]

How may ALPA pilot groups have a B fund?

Your ignorance is astounding, but I will be happy to educate you if it gets you thinking:

Airtran: B-Fund 10.5%
Alaska: 401K with a 13.5% contribution
Continental: A-Fund 2.20%/B-Fund 12.75%
Delta: B-Fund 10%
FedEx: A-Fund 2%/B-Fund 7%
Hawaiian: A-Fund 2.40%/ 401K Match up to 19.4%
United: B-Fund 10%/C-Fund 7%
US Airways: B-Fund 10%

American is not ALPA...but I'll include them anyway since they're in our peer set:
A-Fund 1.25%/B-Fund 11%



Almost all of them have B-funds, genius. Any that don't have MUCH higher contributions from the company than we do. Even the contributions we do get from the company are NOT included in our individual contracts. They can be taken away at any time.

We cannot have a B-Fund without a CBA. It's illegal. We need a CBA yesterday.



As for health insurance...here's what I get with a seperate health insurance plan under a CBA that I don't get now....


A VOTE!


We cannot have a seperate health insurance plan than everyone else without a CBA. We need a CBA yesterday.


Our process doesn't work....please re-read the emails I attached above from our own committees. We need a CBA yesterday.

Questions? Please vote for a CBA.

 

[Blue Dude]

How may ALPA pilot groups have a B fund?


What makes you think a seperate health plan under a CBA is going to be better?

The question you ought to be asking yourself is: Given that the company has repeatedly promised us PSIA in all areas of compensation and benefits, how are they going to deliver without a pilot CBA? Answer: without bringing the benefits of the entire company to major airline pilot PSIA, they can't. Even if they did, the 401(k) would still fail every year, which costs millions every year to fix. They can't and won't match benefits for everyone. Instead, they consider the matter all but closed by adjusting only the pay rates and hoping you'll keep quiet about the rest. That should concern you.

 

[tzflyer]

Starchecker,
I think we do have a number for medical help, through a doctor in ATL I think. I used it a couple of years ago for something minor and they were a good help. Not quite the ALPA aeromedical, but they did get right back to me with the proper info.
Poke around on the pilot page on hello JB to find it
TZ