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http://m.us.wsj.com/articles/virgin-america-flight-attendants-vote-to-unionize-1407956382?mobile=y
Virgin America Flight Attendants Vote to Unionize
Election Ushers in First Union at Discount California Carrier
By SUSAN CAREY
A majority of the flight attendants at Virgin America Inc. approved representation by the Transport Workers Union, ushering in the first union at the Burlingame, Calif., discount airline, which was one of the last U.S. carriers to be entirely nonunion.
The TWU, which represents among others 11,000 flight attendants at Southwest Airlines Co. and mechanics and ground workers at American Airlines Group Inc., said 58%, or 430, of the Virgin America workers who cast ballots voted for the union, in an election that concluded Wednesday. The union said 307 voted against representation. A total of 828 were eligible to vote in the election, conducted by the National Mediation Board.
A previous attempt by the TWU was rejected by 59% of the 547 Virgin America attendants who voted in late 2011.
The union said negotiations for an initial labor contract will begin in the fall.
"We respect the decision by our in-flight teammates to choose third-party representation," an airline spokeswoman said. "We will continue to work to serve the best interests of all of our teammates and our airline as we move forward."
The U.S. airline industry is heavily unionized, with the exception of Delta Air Lines Inc., whose only major union group is its pilots. Workers at newer, low-fare startups, such as Spirit Airlines Inc., Allegiant Airlines and JetBlue Airways Corp. recently have voted to join unions, ending those carriers' nonunion status.
In April, about 70% of JetBlue's 2,500 pilots voted to join the Air Line Pilots Association union, after twice earlier voting down union representation. Baggage handlers at Spirit in July voted to join the International Association of Machinists union, becoming the fourth group at the Miramar, Fla., carrier to choose bargaining agents. Two years ago, a majority of the nonunion pilots at Allegiant Travel Co.'s Allegiant unit voted to join the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union. Allegiant's attendants joined the TWU in 2010.
Virgin America, part-owned by Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group Ltd., in July filed a registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission for an initial public offering. The company reportedly hopes to raise more than $300 million, but the timing of the offering hasn't been set.
The award-winning carrier, which took off in 2007, posted its first annual profit of $10 million last year. The company operates 53 Airbus A320 jetliners and has 2,500 employees. In the June quarter of this year, Virgin America earned $37 million, a fourfold increased over its net income of $8.8 million a year earlier. Revenue rose 6% in the latest quarter, to $399 million.
Virgin America Flight Attendants Vote to Unionize
Election Ushers in First Union at Discount California Carrier
By SUSAN CAREY
A majority of the flight attendants at Virgin America Inc. approved representation by the Transport Workers Union, ushering in the first union at the Burlingame, Calif., discount airline, which was one of the last U.S. carriers to be entirely nonunion.
The TWU, which represents among others 11,000 flight attendants at Southwest Airlines Co. and mechanics and ground workers at American Airlines Group Inc., said 58%, or 430, of the Virgin America workers who cast ballots voted for the union, in an election that concluded Wednesday. The union said 307 voted against representation. A total of 828 were eligible to vote in the election, conducted by the National Mediation Board.
A previous attempt by the TWU was rejected by 59% of the 547 Virgin America attendants who voted in late 2011.
The union said negotiations for an initial labor contract will begin in the fall.
"We respect the decision by our in-flight teammates to choose third-party representation," an airline spokeswoman said. "We will continue to work to serve the best interests of all of our teammates and our airline as we move forward."
The U.S. airline industry is heavily unionized, with the exception of Delta Air Lines Inc., whose only major union group is its pilots. Workers at newer, low-fare startups, such as Spirit Airlines Inc., Allegiant Airlines and JetBlue Airways Corp. recently have voted to join unions, ending those carriers' nonunion status.
In April, about 70% of JetBlue's 2,500 pilots voted to join the Air Line Pilots Association union, after twice earlier voting down union representation. Baggage handlers at Spirit in July voted to join the International Association of Machinists union, becoming the fourth group at the Miramar, Fla., carrier to choose bargaining agents. Two years ago, a majority of the nonunion pilots at Allegiant Travel Co.'s Allegiant unit voted to join the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union. Allegiant's attendants joined the TWU in 2010.
Virgin America, part-owned by Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group Ltd., in July filed a registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission for an initial public offering. The company reportedly hopes to raise more than $300 million, but the timing of the offering hasn't been set.
The award-winning carrier, which took off in 2007, posted its first annual profit of $10 million last year. The company operates 53 Airbus A320 jetliners and has 2,500 employees. In the June quarter of this year, Virgin America earned $37 million, a fourfold increased over its net income of $8.8 million a year earlier. Revenue rose 6% in the latest quarter, to $399 million.
