An Immediate Benefit to Unionizing: Negotiating a Legally Binding Contract
Organizing
9 August 2022
One of the many benefits of unionizing is that GO Crewmembers will gain the right to negotiate a legally binding contract. Under the law, wages, benefits, and working conditions are all “mandatory subjects of bargaining” and JetBlue management MUST bargain in “good faith” with us. That means JetBlue management must negotiate in a way that will bring about an agreement. That’s the law.
That’s important because it gives GO Crewmembers the right and opportunity to lock in what we like about our current job, negotiate improvements to the things that need to be fixed, AND negotiate protections during the merger with Spirit.
JetBlue executives are trying to talk Crewmembers out of negotiating a legally-binding union contract. Yet, none of them would dream of working without a contract in a million years.
For example, currently in FLL, approximately half of the part-time bid lines are now relief lines in which GO Crewmembers have to bid every two weeks. That’s right EVERY TWO WEEKS! With a contract, we can fix that. What about the locations where JetBlue management just involuntarily cut full-time hours from 40 to 32? With a contract, we can fix that too.
What about pay? Once we unionize, we have the right to negotiate higher wages. Without a contract, we have no guarantees of any wage increases. The announced wage increases in 2023 are not guaranteed. We already experienced not receiving scheduled wage increases in 2021, due to the pandemic (NOTE: all UNION airlines received their pay increases in 2021 because of their contracts). And, the 2023 pay scale, even with the raise, is the lowest among the major US airlines.
By unionizing, we will take control over our destiny. We will have a strong voice to protect OUR interests.
Remember, if we don’t have a seat at the table, we are likely on the menu.
Travel Industry CEOs: “Testing enables reopening.”
July 27, 2020 Dear Mr. President, Speaker Pelosi, Leader McCarthy, Leader McConnell and Leader Schumer, A reopening of the U.S. economy is critical, and the only way to sustain job growth is to drive demand. One of the major challenges of a national economic recovery...
Machinist & Aerospace History: Buzz Aldrin and the Machinist Moonwalk
On July 20, 1969, millions of people watched in awe as astronauts Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin and Neil Armstrong stepped foot on the moon for the first time. Aldrin, an honorary IAM member, was part of a three-man crew that flew a 240,000-mile flight aboard Apollo 11....
Machinists, Aviation Unions Commend Bipartisan Push for Airline Worker Payroll Support Program Extension
The IAM along with other aviation unions are lauding 223 bipartisan members of Congress for calling for an extension of the CARES Act Payroll Support Program (PSP) through March 31, 2021. The program, which allocated grants to commercial airlines and airline...
Letter Urging Extension of Airline Aid to Prevent Furloughs Has a Majority of Support in Congress
More than 200 members of Congress have signed a letter supporting a union-backed plan that would prevent mass airline furloughs this fall. The letter, written by the Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Representative Peter DeFazio...
Related News
141 Report: New Leadership at Local 368
President Tim Nestler, who began his career at USAirways in Pittsburgh in 1987, and Chris Willis, who spearheaded the IAM Safety Program at Spirit Airlines and has served as Grievance Chair since 2018, were recently elected President and Vice President. This week, the...
Hurry! There’s Still Time to Enter the 2021 Adolph Stutz Memorial Scholarship Essay Contest
Dear Member of IAM District Lodge 141: We are writing to inform you about a special benefit offered by IAM District Lodge 141: the Adolph Stutz Memorial Scholarship. Each year, our District awards several scholarships to qualified and deserving members — or their...
Machinists & Aerospace Union Members Provide Support for Veterans
[supsystic-social-sharing id='3']The IAM’s Veterans Services program is reporting a boost in recruitment. The program, which is under the union’s Retirees and Membership Assistance Department, was created in 2016 and continues its growth in popularity. Enrollment is...