Fri, Nov 14, 2008
Stress Non-Adversarial Relationship With Airline
Management
Officials with the JetBlue Pilots Association filed a petition
with the National Mediation Board (NMB) this week, to gain
recognition as the sole bargaining agent for the nearly 2,000
pilots of JetBlue.
Leaders of the all-volunteer pilot association said they are
seeking formal recognition in order to provide career protections
for their pilots in a positive way that will help "redefine
pilot-labor relations in our industry."
"We have complete faith in our current company leadership and
believe that this will be a cooperative effort," JetBlue Pilots
Association leaders Captains Michael Sorbie and William Evans said
in a joint statement. "As our airline matures, we want to ensure
that the career expectations of our pilots will remain intact
regardless of organizational changes. We welcome the
opportunity to communicate concerns through a voice that is
supported by the lawful process of the Railway Labor Act.
This process also provides a stability and cost certainty that will
be beneficial to our company as we grow into the future."
Association leaders provided advance notice of the intent to
file the petition to both CEO David Barger and the JetBlue Board of
Directors, which the group says indicates the type of relationship
that exists today and confirming the type of direction that should
be expected in the future.
"Our desire to seek formal recognition underscores our need to
have a relationship based not only on the benevolence of a
leadership team that could transition at any time, but on a
relationship where there exists a means to resolve our private
discourses under the support of legal process," Sorbie said.
The NMB soon will begin the steps toward a request for an
election and representation authorization.
JetBlue Pilots Association leaders stress they are proposing an
independent organization, and are not seeking association with any
third party national union.
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