The JetBlue ALPA drive has officially started.

[Longhorn]

October 8, 2010

Dear Fellow Pilots:

We are taking this opportunity to formally introduce ourselves to you. We are Captains and First Officers, past members and volunteers of ALPA and other labor organizations, veterans and reservists, and pilots who have never been union members. We are JetBlue pilots who believe in our company and are fully committed to its success. We are the JetBlue ALPA Organizing Committee (JAOC)—more than 245 JetBlue pilots with diverse backgrounds and experience but committed to one goal: the long-term success of JetBlue Airways and its pilot group through ALPA representation.

We started as a small group of JetBlue pilots wanting to improve our careers while building on the strengths of JetBlue. Spring-boarding off a lot of hard work by committed colleagues whose prior efforts fell short of their goal, we were determined to find a way to have more meaningful input into our future. We decided to reach out to ALPA to better understand the pros and cons of representation. Now, after meeting with ALPA’s leaders, pilots, and staff for more than a year and growing the JAOC to the largest organizing committee in ALPA history, we believe ALPA representation is not only the best choice but the only choice for JetBlue pilots and our families.

Over the past month, the JAOC has interacted with nearly all JetBlue pilots. To those of you who have shown your enthusiastic support thus far, we thank you. To those of you who have been less than enthusiastic and have shared your concerns, we thank you as well. As we move forward, the JAOC continues to be interested in all JetBlue pilots’ concerns, thoughts, opinions, and ideas about current and future representation. Please continue to let us know how you feel.

During our conversations with you over the past month, we have heard you loud and clear. JetBlue pilots overwhelmingly believe we need a stronger voice, greater resources, and a legally binding contract in order to protect and enhance our professional future and our families’ long-term security and interests. The majority of JetBlue pilots also understand the value of ALPA representation while balancing the needs of JetBlue to ensure the long-term success and viability of our company.

We have progressed to the point where it’s time to begin to provide you with information you will need to make an informed decision. Over the coming weeks, we want to talk to you about what we have learned and why we are taking this step. We have also invited ALPA pilot leaders, volunteers, and professional staff to answer the questions you have about ALPA’s work today and in the past and, most importantly, where it sees the Association, profession, and industry going forward.

We hope you’ll participate no matter what your views are about representation, because this is a decision about our future. A schedule of meeting dates and locations is set out below:

BOS October 18 6pm – 9pm Hampton Inn – Logan Airport
JFK October 20 6pm – 9pm Doubletree JFK
JFK October 21 7pm – 10pm Austin’s Steak House
FLL October 25 6pm – 9pm Marriott Courtyard
MCO October 26 6pm – 9pm Holiday Inn MCO
LGB October 28 6pm – 9pm Marriott LGB
(individual city visits to come next)

We thank each of you for your continued interest and support of this effort. A lot of work is ahead of us, and we hope that you will play a part in shaping the future of the JetBlue pilot group. If you are interested in becoming a member of the JAOC or would like to volunteer to support our efforts, please contact any one of us on the JAOC.

Ultimately the choice of representation will be up to all of us. Until that time comes, here is the JAOC commitment: Your JetBlue ALPA Organizing Committee will continue to support our company as much as we support JetBlue pilots working together with a strong, unified voice to better influence and control our future. It’s time to contribute to the future of our profession. It’s time to make JetBlue stronger—which means it’s time for ALPA.

 

[MD80DRVR]

Finally! We need representation asap.

 

[Cpt Oveur]

Austin's Steak House? Have fun with that, in fact: have one for me, you can thank me later.

 

[Longhorn]

I agree....I have eaten there.

 

[Flyer1015]

Any advantages brought on by ALPA will be negated by 1.95% of pay. Choose wisely. ALPA isn't the cure-all, and look at what ALPA has done to "help" the airline industry. My hats off to the US Airways pilots for stepping up and collectively giving ALPA the middle finger. Then the Midwest Airlines careers, farmed out flying of one ALPA group to another, and then basically allowed them to end their own careers. And they pushed the Age 65 rule, stagnating movement in the industry for at least 5 years. ALPA. What a joke. Moustaches required, output next to useless.

 

[UpNDownGuy]

Any advantages brought on by ALPA will be negated by 1.95% of pay. Choose wisely. ALPA isn't the cure-all, and look at what ALPA has done to "help" the airline industry. My hats off to the US Airways pilots for stepping up and collectively giving ALPA the middle finger. Then the Midwest Airlines careers, farmed out flying of one ALPA group to another, and then basically allowed them to end their own careers. And they pushed the Age 65 rule, stagnating movement in the industry for at least 5 years. ALPA. What a joke. Moustaches required, output next to useless.

You clearly haven't the foggiest idea what you're talking about. You don't think 1.95% is worth scope, work rules and a voice in what happens to us?

Go back to your RJ junior.

 

[Xcorporate]

Why not start your own in house union? why would you want to be represented by ALPA? I thought things were good at JB.....

 

[SMcC]

In house was tried, but was voted down. There are new issues now, with mergers happening left and right, so maybe in house would be voted in now. Whatever you guys end up with the union membership and leaders will be what makes it a positive or negative, not the name. SWAPA and APA are huge and have vast resources. You guys may do well to go ALPA, but it's up to the Jet Blue pilots to make it a success.

 

[StarChecker]

In house was tried, but was voted down. There are new issues now, with mergers happening left and right, so maybe in house would be voted in now. Whatever you guys end up with the union membership and leaders will be what makes it a positive or negative, not the name. SWAPA and APA are huge and have vast resources. You guys may do well to go ALPA, but it's up to the Jet Blue pilots to make it a success.

Perfectly stated. I hope the majority of our pilots realize this.

 

[dicko]

You clearly haven't the foggiest idea what you're talking about. You don't think 1.95% is worth scope, work rules and a voice in what happens to us?

Go back to your RJ junior.

Scope ... You're ************************* kidding right ?

Within a year of AirTran becoming ALPA they became the only ALPA airline to allow 86 seat RJ outsourcing. The email to the pilots described it as "significant gains".

Scope is a fiction at ALPA. The moustaches are not.

 

[dicko]

Apparently, you can't substitute a "k" for a "ck"and get away with it.

 

[jayme]

Then why doesn't skywest fly 737s for UA or DALL? Not scope?

 

[hateairlines]

ALPA?? what the F

 

[27 driver]

Scope ... You're ************************* kidding right ?

Within a year of AirTran becoming ALPA they became the only ALPA airline to allow 86 seat RJ outsourcing. The email to the pilots described it as "significant gains".

Scope is a fiction at ALPA. The moustaches are not.

You really don't know what you are talking about do you? ALPA had nothing to do with the Skywest deal and had no legal grounds to stop it. It was allowed by the worthless CBA written in 2001 that had so much poor language and loop holes that have been exploited continuously. That CBA was written by an inept in-house union known as the NPA.

 

[Flyer1015]

You clearly haven't the foggiest idea what you're talking about. You don't think 1.95% is worth scope, work rules and a voice in what happens to us?

Go back to your RJ junior.

To be honest, no, it's not worth it. I've seen what's happened at our current airline with ALPA. Absolutely nothing, an old 1999 contract, and we are (yet again) on ICE from the NMB. Great. I look at Skywest, and what do you know, it's probably the best regional to work for in terms of QOL, pay.

 

[Flyer1015]

ALPA has helped erode this career right down the drain. There are no collective balls. Just pushovers and rollovers.

Spoke to an ALPA rep one time regarding a CLEAR and EGREGIOUS violation of our CBA, and guess what I was told. "Fly now, grieve later." Any union with balls would have said, "No, fark it! Do not fly now, it is illegal per the CBA!" Like I said, pushovers.

And as for the grievances, good luck hearing back from those. It'll take a looooong time (sometimes years) for anything to get done. Personally, I'd rather be at Skywest and not pay the 1.95%. Sure it's a gamble, but one I'd be willing to take. And yes, if JetBlue hired me, I'd be out the door in a heartbeat.

 

[Splert]

To be honest, no, it's not worth it. I've seen what's happened at our current airline with ALPA. Absolutely nothing, an old 1999 contract, and we are (yet again) on ICE from the NMB. Great. I look at Skywest, and what do you know, it's probably the best regional to work for in terms of QOL, pay.

You know that because you don't work there.

What happened to SkyWest health care plan?

Only a HDMP in 2012.

 

[jayme]

ALPA has helped erode this career right down the drain. There are no collective balls. Just pushovers and rollovers.

Spoke to an ALPA rep one time regarding a CLEAR and EGREGIOUS violation of our CBA, and guess what I was told. "Fly now, grieve later." Any union with balls would have said, "No, fark it! Do not fly now, it is illegal per the CBA!" Like I said, pushovers.

And as for the grievances, good luck hearing back from those. It'll take a looooong time (sometimes years) for anything to get done. Personally, I'd rather be at Skywest and not pay the 1.95%. Sure it's a gamble, but one I'd be willing to take. And yes, if JetBlue hired me, I'd be out the door in a heartbeat.

If your rep had suggested you disobey an order from managemen and you got fired, what would you have done? Let me guss, blame ALPA, right? Any union rep worth his salt would have said the same thing. "Obey now, grieve later" is the method recognized by law, all the way up to the supreme court, as the best way t deal with managment/labor conflicts.

 

[Flyer1015]

NO. If I got fired for that particular instance, I would have easily gotten my job back once grieved, including back pay, because what they were doing was just a downright violation of the CBA.

"Obey now, grieve later" is the method recognized by law, all the way up to the supreme court, as the best way t deal with managment/labor conflicts.

That's a one way street! I bet you if I ever violated a company policy, it wouldn't be "leave him be, fire him later." It would be instant termination. So why the hell should we "fly now, grieve later." It's the principal of the matter, it is all screwed up, and if ALPA had a collective set of balls, it would be different. Now that Moak is national ALPA head honcho, I expect more of a "bend over and take it" era. Our dues will subsidize Moak's huge salary and cars, all the while ALPA refusing to take a stand.

 

[Caveman]

NO. If I got fired for that particular instance, I would have easily gotten my job back once grieved, including back pay, because what they were doing was just a downright violation of the CBA.

That's a one way street! I bet you if I ever violated a company policy, it wouldn't be "leave him be, fire him later." It would be instant termination. So why the hell should we "fly now, grieve later." It's the principal of the matter, it is all screwed up, and if ALPA had a collective set of balls, it would be different. Now that Moak is national ALPA head honcho, I expect more of a "bend over and take it" era. Our dues will subsidize Moak's huge salary and cars, all the while ALPA refusing to take a stand.

Okay Capt Hard Ass, did you refuse the assignment? You're were in the right and would have easily gotten your job back, right? Didn't think so. You rolled over and did what you were told. Your ALPA rep gave you good advice. Unless it was illegal per FARs your only recourse is to fly now, grieve later. That's the way the game is played. At least with a union you had a grievance process and reps/lawyers on your side of the table.