New Job Growth “Strong as Hell” After Investments, Says Secretary Of Transportation

New Job Growth “Strong as Hell” After Investments, Says Secretary Of Transportation

Oct 19, 2022 | Front Page, JetBlue, MNPL, Page Five, Page Four, Page Three, Page Two, Perusals, Row 2

New Job Growth “Strong as Hell” After Investments, Says Secretary Of Transportation

Legislation
19 October 2022

In an appearance on CBS News’ face the Nation over the weekend, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg touted the Administration’s economic and pro-union policies as helping to create a job market that he described as “strong as hell.”

Buttigieg credited the Administration’s COVID-19 recovery package and infrastructure investments as helping to set the stage for more than 10 million Americans to return to work following the Pandemic. Relevant to airline workers, these policies include longer mandatory rest periods for flight attendants and $1 billion in funding to modernize aging US airports.

The Department of Transportation will also determine if the proposed merger between JetBlue and Spirit can move forward and whether or not to permit a similar partnership between JetBlue and American to proceed. That deal, called the “Northeast Alliance,” has been compared to a “De-facto merger” by the Justice Department. If approved, the partnership would allow JetBlue and American to operate as if they were a single airline in the Boston and New York markets. However, the two carriers would use different gates and aircraft.

JetBlue Ground Operations Crewmembers are currently seeking to join the Machinists Union. The 3,000 ground workers are filing with the National Mediation Board, which will oversee a vote to determine if the organizing drive is successful.

When asked by anchor Margarett Brennan if pumping $3.6 trillion in total new spending into the economy was a trigger for runaway inflation, Buttigieg responded by pointing out that the investments were also making possible historic levels of new job openings. “We would not have had the 10 million jobs created with this president with the lowest unemployment numbers in history,” he said.

“Look, I don’t think anybody could argue that our unemployment numbers are anything but strong as hell,” he said.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the US added more than 260,000 new jobs in September, pushing the unemployment rate to only 3.5%. The historic drop in unemployment is happening despite high inflation rates, lingering COVID infections, and Hurricane Ian, all of which had minimal effect on the overall economy, according to the Bureau.

Earlier this month, Secretary Buttigieg addressed the Machinists Union Convention in Las Vegas alongside Labor Secretary Marty Walsh and President Joe Biden in a video message. In the address, Buttigieg told union members that the time to end “anti union” tactics is now. “This president and this administration will always stand by the union workers who have stood by our country,” he told the hundreds of assembled Machinists Union members. “And, that means protecting and strengthening your right to organize, preventing companies from using retaliatory anti-union tactics,” he said to loud cheers.

Buttigieg also touted a multi-million dollar grant program to improve airport infrastructure and safety. The grant, part of the American Rescue Plan, will improve airport runways, taxiways, aprons, and Terminal buildings. “The president’s historic bipartisan infrastructure law creates a new generation of good union jobs,” he said. “By rebuilding our crumbling roadways, bridges, rail lines, and modernizing our airports,” he said.

In his bid to become US President in 2020, Buttigieg’s campaign staff formed a union, in part to create the precedent for other political campaigns. After organizing for a few weeks, union organizers announced the campaign had enough coworkers willing to sign Union Authorization Cards. The Buttigieg campaign then allowed the staffers to form the new union unopposed.

Machinists Union Prepares for Negotiations at Apple

Machinists Union Prepares for Negotiations at AppleOrganizing22 August 2022IAM CORE Members, First U.S. Apple Store to Unionize, Prepare for NegotiationsWatch on YouTube: This week, eight IAM CORE negotiating committee members from the newly organized Apple store in...

The JetBlue / Spirit Merger and the Threat to Job Security

The JetBlue-Spirit Merger and the Risk to Job SecurityOrganizing9 August 2022The JetBlue and Spirit merger presents a significant risk to the job security of those workers who do not have contractual employment protections. Why?"Asset divestitures can smooth the way...

Spirit / JetBlue Merger Statement

Spirit / JetBlue Merger Statement28 July 2022 To our Sisters and Brothers of Spirit Airlines, This morning, JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines announced plans to merge to create the nation's fifth largest carrier. Spirit Airlines shareholders yesterday rejected...

Message from JetBlue Organizers: Personal Time Has Value

Remember who you're really working for: Managers think that our jobs should be the most important things in our lives and that everything else should come second. They think that we should put aside things like family, building memories, and just doing nothing at all...

Related News

New Job Growth “Strong as Hell” After Investments, Says Secretary Of Transportation

19 October, 2022

In an appearance on CBS News’ face the Nation over the weekend, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg touted the Administration’s economic and pro-union policies as helping to create a job market that he described as “strong as hell.”

Buttigieg credited the Administration’s COVID-19 recovery package and infrastructure investments as helping to set the stage for more than 10 million Americans to return to work following the Pandemic. Relevant to airline workers, these policies include longer mandatory rest periods for flight attendants and $1 billion in funding to modernize aging US airports. The Department of Transportation will also determine if the proposed merger between JetBlue and Spirit can move forward and whether or not to permit a similar partnership between JetBlue and American to proceed. That deal, called the “Northeast Alliance,” has been compared to a “De-facto merger” by the Justice Department. If approved, the partnership would allow JetBlue and American to operate as if they were a single airline in the Boston and New York markets. However, the two carriers would use different gates and aircraft.

JetBlue Ground Operations Crewmembers are currently seeking to join the Machinists Union. The 3,000 ground workers are filing with the National Mediation Board, which will oversee a vote to determine if the organizing drive is successful.

When asked by anchor Margarett Brennan if pumping $3.6 trillion in total new spending into the economy was a trigger for runaway inflation, Buttigieg responded by pointing out that the investments were also making possible historic levels of new job openings. “We would not have had the 10 million jobs created with this president with the lowest unemployment numbers in history,” he said.

“Look, I don’t think anybody could argue that our unemployment numbers are anything but strong as hell,” he said.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the US added more than 260,000 new jobs in September, pushing the unemployment rate to only 3.5%. The historic drop in unemployment is happening despite high inflation rates, lingering COVID infections, and Hurricane Ian, all of which had minimal effect on the overall economy, according to the Bureau.

Earlier this month, Secretary Buttigieg addressed the Machinists Union Convention in Las Vegas alongside Labor Secretary Marty Walsh and President Joe Biden in a video message. In the address, Buttigieg told union members that the time to end “anti union” tactics is now. “This president and this administration will always stand by the union workers who have stood by our country,” he told the hundreds of assembled Machinists Union members. “And, that means protecting and strengthening your right to organize, preventing companies from using retaliatory anti-union tactics,” he said to loud cheers.

Buttigieg also touted a multi-million dollar grant program to improve airport infrastructure and safety. The grant, part of the American Rescue Plan, will improve airport runways, taxiways, aprons, and Terminal buildings. “The president’s historic bipartisan infrastructure law creates a new generation of good union jobs,” he said. “By rebuilding our crumbling roadways, bridges, rail lines, and modernizing our airports,” he said.

In his bid to become US President in 2020, Buttigieg’s campaign staff formed a union, in part to create the precedent for other political campaigns. After organizing for a few weeks, union organizers announced the campaign had enough coworkers willing to sign Union Authorization Cards. The Buttigieg campaign then allowed the staffers to form the new union unopposed.

 

Related News

February Helping Hands: Financial Health

February Helping Hands: Financial Health

Feb 8, 2024

EAP Peers:        February is often a month that people are struggling with finances after the holidays. We focus on a government agency that has some terrific resources - the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau. This agency has a myriad of resources to help with any...

$8,000 in Scholarships are Now Available!

$8,000 in Scholarships are Now Available!

Feb 6, 2024

$8,000 in Scholarships are Now Available!District Lodge 141 is excited to announce the commencement of its 2024 Adolph Stutz Memorial Scholarship Essay Contest!$8,000 in Scholarships are Now Available!IAM141.org 6 February 2024District Lodge 141 is excited to announce...

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Union Pay Gap Expands in 2023

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Union Pay Gap Expands in 2023

Feb 6, 2024

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Union Pay Gap Expands in 2023WASHINGTON DC - According to the February report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, union membership in 2023 held steady and did not decline despite employers spending over $400 million to oppose unification...

JetBlue Election Update – Your Questions, Answered

JetBlue Election Update – Your Questions, Answered

Oct 11, 2022 | Front Page, JetBlue, Organizing, Page Five, Page Four, Page Three, Page Two, Perusals, Row 2

JetBlue Union Vote Update – Your Questions Answered

Organizing
11 October 2022

Now that we filed for an election, what happens next?

The National Mediation Board (NMB), the federal agency that handles representation elections in the airline industry, has ordered JetBlue management to send the list of “potential eligible voters” to the NMB by 10:00 AM, October 18, 2022. Once the NMB receives the list of potentially eligible voters from JetBlue, the federal agency will compare the list with the election authorization cards submitted to determine if at least 50 percent of GO Crewmembers have requested the right to vote in a union representation election.

Who is eligible to vote?

All GO Crewmembers hired on or before September 17, 2022.

How will the vote be conducted?

The vote will be conducted by mail ballot. It is important that we have our most current address updated with JetBlue, as JetBlue will give the NMB the address it currently has on file when it is time for the NMB to mail us our ballot.

It is also important to know that we will vote by secret ballot and that our vote is confidential. JetBlue management is prohibited under federal law from ever knowing how we voted, or if we voted.

How long will it take the NMB to schedule our vote?

Once the NMB determines that at least 50 percent of all GO Crewmembers requested a union representation election be held (signed a card), the federal agency will schedule a voting period. If JetBlue management submits an accurate list of potentially eligible voters to the NMB, which airline management is required to do under federal law, then it is possible that the vote will be scheduled within the next few months.

However, we expect JetBlue management and their high-priced lawyers to delay the process as much as they can, and they’ve already started. JetBlue requested a week extension to submit the list of potentially eligible voters to the NMB by October 18, 2022. The list of eligible voters was originally due by Tuesday, October 11, 2022. The NMB granted their request.

Why would JetBlue want to delay the vote?

Like management at all corporations, JetBlue management wants to retain total control over all decisions. The best way for them to do that is to do everything possible to influence and coerce their employees not to unionize. When workers unionize, they have a seat at the table and the right to negotiate and vote on their terms of employment.

When workers are not unionized, they don’t have those rights (collective bargaining rights).

By delaying the process, JetBlue management and their attorneys will have more time to try and convince Crewmembers that we don’t need to unionize and negotiate a legally binding contract. It’s important that we understand that everything JetBlue management does from this point forward is to influence GO Crewmembers to remain non-union, with no legal rights and no contract.

Keep Signing Cards Till the Very last Second

What can JetBlue management do to delay the NMB process?

We expect that JetBlue management will make every attempt to inflate the list of potential eligible voters by placing individuals on the list who are ineligible. For example, we expect JetBlue to place AO Crewmembers on the list.

This will force us to identify the ineligible workers and to object to their inclusion on the list of potential eligible voters. Under the Railway Labor Act (RLA), workers must organize according to “class and craft” (job classification). According to the law, GO and AO are separate classifications of work and therefore must unionize separately.

 We hope JetBlue management doesn’t engage in any dirty tricks to delay our right to vote. If they try, we are prepared for anything and we will keep the Department of Labor and elected officials abreast of the situation.

What are our rights during this process?

>>  We have a federal right under the Railway Labor Act (RLA), to form and join a union without interference from JetBlue management.

>>  We have the right to talk to our co-workers about the Union just like we talk about any other subject at work. We have the right to hand out flyers and other information during non-work times in non-work areas.

>>  We have the right to wear a Union Pin.

It’s against federal law for management to stop us from exercising these rights, or retaliate against us for exercising our federal right to form a Union. The Railway Labor Act—the federal law that gives us these rights— prohibits management from influencing or interfering with our right to join a union. Ask yourself, is JetBlue management, or any other person, trying to influence us to not unionize?

The law states, “No carrier, its officers, or agents shall deny or in any way question the right of its employees to join, organize, or assist in organizing the labor organization of their choice, and it shall be unlawful for any carrier to interfere in any way with the organization of its employees.”

“All employees are free to express their desire to be represented by a labor organization or to be unrepresented.

The Carrier is not permitted to influence, interfere or coerce employees in any manner in an effort to induce them to participate or refrain from participating in an election should there be one.

Get Printable Flyer
Report Company Interference

JetBlue Election Update – Your Questions, Answered

JetBlue Union Vote Update - Your Questions AnsweredOrganizing11 October 2022Now that we filed for an election, what happens next? The National Mediation Board (NMB), the federal agency that handles representation elections in the airline industry, has ordered JetBlue...

IAM / JetBlue Union Vote Update

JetBlue Union Vote UpdateOrganizing5 October 2022Union Vote Update: Timeline and Our Rights  As you know, the IAM filed an application with the National Mediation Board (NMB), a federal agency, to conduct a union representation vote on Friday, September 23, 2022. On...

Related News

February Helping Hands: Financial Health

February Helping Hands: Financial Health

Feb 8, 2024

EAP Peers:        February is often a month that people are struggling with finances after the holidays. We focus on a government agency that has some terrific resources - the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau. This agency has a myriad of resources to help with any...

$8,000 in Scholarships are Now Available!

$8,000 in Scholarships are Now Available!

Feb 6, 2024

$8,000 in Scholarships are Now Available!District Lodge 141 is excited to announce the commencement of its 2024 Adolph Stutz Memorial Scholarship Essay Contest!$8,000 in Scholarships are Now Available!IAM141.org 6 February 2024District Lodge 141 is excited to announce...

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Union Pay Gap Expands in 2023

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Union Pay Gap Expands in 2023

Feb 6, 2024

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Union Pay Gap Expands in 2023WASHINGTON DC - According to the February report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, union membership in 2023 held steady and did not decline despite employers spending over $400 million to oppose unification...

JetBlue Union Vote Update – Your Questions Answered

11 October, 2022

Union Vote Update: Election Process Frequently Asked Questions

Now that we filed for an election, what happens next?

The National Mediation Board (NMB), the federal agency that handles representation elections in the airline industry, has ordered JetBlue management to send the list of “potential eligible voters” to the NMB by 10:00 AM, October 18, 2022. Once the NMB receives the list of potentially eligible voters from JetBlue, the federal agency will compare the list with the election authorization cards submitted to determine if at least 50 percent of GO Crewmembers have requested the right to vote in a union representation election.

Who is eligible to vote?

All GO Crewmembers hired on or before September 17, 2022.

How will the vote be conducted?

The vote will be conducted by mail ballot. It is important that we have our most current address updated with JetBlue, as JetBlue will give the NMB the address it currently has on file when it is time for the NMB to mail us our ballot.

It is also important to know that we will vote by secret ballot and that our vote is confidential. JetBlue management is prohibited under federal law from ever knowing how we voted, or if we voted.

How long will it take the NMB to schedule our vote?

Once the NMB determines that at least 50 percent of all GO Crewmembers requested a union representation election be held (signed a card), the federal agency will schedule a voting period. If JetBlue management submits an accurate list of potentially eligible voters to the NMB, which airline management is required to do under federal law, then it is possible that the vote will be scheduled within the next few months.

However, we expect JetBlue management and their high-priced lawyers to delay the process as much as they can, and they’ve already started. JetBlue requested a week extension to submit the list of potentially eligible voters to the NMB by October 18, 2022. The list of eligible voters was originally due by Tuesday, October 11, 2022. The NMB granted their request.

Why would JetBlue want to delay the vote?

Like management at all corporations, JetBlue management wants to retain total control over all decisions. The best way for them to do that is to do everything possible to influence and coerce their employees not to unionize. When workers unionize, they have a seat at the table and the right to negotiate and vote on their terms of employment.

When workers are not unionized, they don’t have those rights (collective bargaining rights).

By delaying the process, JetBlue management and their attorneys will have more time to try and convince Crewmembers that we don’t need to unionize and negotiate a legally binding contract. It’s important that we understand that everything JetBlue management does from this point forward is to influence GO Crewmembers to remain non-union, with no legal rights and no contract.

What can JetBlue management do to delay the NMB process?

We expect that JetBlue management will make every attempt to inflate the list of potentially eligible voters by placing individuals on the list who are ineligible. For example, we expect JetBlue to place AO Crewmembers on the list.

This will force us to identify the ineligible workers and object to their inclusion on the list of potentially eligible voters. Under the Railway Labor Act (RLA), workers must organize according to “class and craft” (job classification). According to the law, GO and AO are separate classifications of work and therefore must unionize separately.

We hope JetBlue management doesn’t engage in any dirty tricks to delay our right to vote. If they try, we are prepared for anything and we will keep the Department of Labor and elected officials abreast of the situation.

What are our rights during this process?

>> We have a federal right under the Railway Labor Act (RLA), to form and join a union without interference from JetBlue management.

>> We have the right to talk to our co-workers about the Union just like we talk about any other subject at work. We have the right to hand out flyers and other information during non-work times in non-work areas.

>> We have the right to wear a Union Pin.

It’s against federal law for management to stop us from exercising these rights, or retaliate against us for exercising our federal right to form a Union. The Railway Labor Act—the federal law that gives us these rights— prohibits management from influencing or interfering with our right to join a union. Ask yourself, is JetBlue management, or any other person, trying to influence us to not unionize?

 

The law states, “No carrier, its officers, or agents shall deny or in any way question the right of its employees to join, organize, or assist in organizing the labor organization of their choice, and it shall be unlawful for any carrier to interfere in any way with the organization of its employees.” “All employees are free to express their desire to be represented by a labor organization or to be unrepresented.

The Carrier is not permitted to influence, interfere or coerce employees in any manner in an effort to induce them to participate or refrain from participating in an election should there be one.

Get Printable Flyer
Report Company Interference

Related News

February Helping Hands: Financial Health

February Helping Hands: Financial Health

Feb 8, 2024

EAP Peers:        February is often a month that people are struggling with finances after the holidays. We focus on a government agency that has some terrific resources - the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau. This agency has a myriad of resources to help with any...

$8,000 in Scholarships are Now Available!

$8,000 in Scholarships are Now Available!

Feb 6, 2024

$8,000 in Scholarships are Now Available!District Lodge 141 is excited to announce the commencement of its 2024 Adolph Stutz Memorial Scholarship Essay Contest!$8,000 in Scholarships are Now Available!IAM141.org 6 February 2024District Lodge 141 is excited to announce...

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Union Pay Gap Expands in 2023

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Union Pay Gap Expands in 2023

Feb 6, 2024

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Union Pay Gap Expands in 2023WASHINGTON DC - According to the February report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, union membership in 2023 held steady and did not decline despite employers spending over $400 million to oppose unification...

JetBlue Election Update – Your Questions, Answered

IAM / JetBlue Union Vote Update

Oct 5, 2022 | Front Page, JetBlue, Organizing, Page Five, Page Four, Page Three, Page Two, Perusals, Row 2

JetBlue Union Vote Update

Organizing
5 October 2022

Union Vote Update: Timeline and Our Rights 

As you know, the IAM filed an application with the National Mediation Board (NMB), a federal agency, to conduct a union representation vote on Friday, September 23, 2022.

On September 26, 2022, the NMB ordered JetBlue management to forward to the NMB the list of “potential eligible voters” by Monday, October 11, 2022.

Yesterday, JetBlue’s high-priced attorneys requested a one-week extension, until Monday, October 18, 2022, to submit the list (we will let you know if the extension is granted).

Once the NMB receives the list of potentially eligible voters from JetBlue management, the federal agency will then determine if at least 50 percent of GO Crewmembers signed an election authorization card (a-card), requesting a union election be scheduled.

The NMB controls the timeline of this process, and we will keep you updated on any developments every step of the way.

It is very important that all GO Crewmembers understand that our right to join, and express support to form a union of JetBlue GO Crewmembers, is protected under federal law.

The NMB’s Notice to Employees states: “No carrier, its officers, or agents shall deny or in any way question the right of its employees to join, organize, or assist in organizing the labor organization of their choice, and it shall be unlawful for any carrier to interfere in any way with the organization of its employees […] The Carrier is not permitted to influence, interfere or coerce employees in any manner in an effort to induce them to participate or refrain from participating in an election should there be one.”

If you believe that JetBlue is attempting to influence, interfere or coerce you against exercising your right to join a union, please notify an IAM representative. CLICK HERE to find out more about your rights, and how you can file an ANONYMOUS “carrier interference” charge. 

Get Printable Flyer

JetBlue Election Update – Your Questions, Answered

JetBlue Union Vote Update - Your Questions AnsweredOrganizing11 October 2022Now that we filed for an election, what happens next? The National Mediation Board (NMB), the federal agency that handles representation elections in the airline industry, has ordered JetBlue...

IAM / JetBlue Union Vote Update

JetBlue Union Vote UpdateOrganizing5 October 2022Union Vote Update: Timeline and Our Rights  As you know, the IAM filed an application with the National Mediation Board (NMB), a federal agency, to conduct a union representation vote on Friday, September 23, 2022. On...

Related News

February Helping Hands: Financial Health

February Helping Hands: Financial Health

Feb 8, 2024

EAP Peers:        February is often a month that people are struggling with finances after the holidays. We focus on a government agency that has some terrific resources - the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau. This agency has a myriad of resources to help with any...

$8,000 in Scholarships are Now Available!

$8,000 in Scholarships are Now Available!

Feb 6, 2024

$8,000 in Scholarships are Now Available!District Lodge 141 is excited to announce the commencement of its 2024 Adolph Stutz Memorial Scholarship Essay Contest!$8,000 in Scholarships are Now Available!IAM141.org 6 February 2024District Lodge 141 is excited to announce...

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Union Pay Gap Expands in 2023

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Union Pay Gap Expands in 2023

Feb 6, 2024

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Union Pay Gap Expands in 2023WASHINGTON DC - According to the February report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, union membership in 2023 held steady and did not decline despite employers spending over $400 million to oppose unification...

JetBlue Union Vote Update

5 October, 2022

Union Vote Update: Timeline and Our Rights

As you know, the IAM filed an application with the National Mediation Board (NMB), a federal agency, to conduct a union representation vote on Friday, September 23, 2022.

On September 26, 2022, the NMB ordered JetBlue management to forward to the NMB the list of “potential eligible voters” by Monday, October 11, 2022.

Yesterday, JetBlue’s high-priced attorneys requested a one-week extension, until Monday, October 18, 2022, to submit the list (we will let you know if the extension is granted).

Once the NMB receives the list of potentially eligible voters from JetBlue management, the federal agency will then determine if at least 50 percent of GO Crewmembers signed an election authorization card (a-card), requesting a union election be scheduled.

The NMB controls the timeline of this process, and we will keep you updated on any developments every step of the way.

It is very important that all GO Crewmembers understand that our right to join, and express support to form a union of JetBlue GO Crewmembers, is protected under federal law.

The NMB’s Notice to Employees states: “No carrier, its officers, or agents shall deny or in any way question the right of its employees to join, organize, or assist in organizing the labor organization of their choice, and it shall be unlawful for any carrier to interfere in any way with the organization of its employees […] The Carrier is not permitted to influence, interfere or coerce employees in any manner in an effort to induce them to participate or refrain from participating in an election should there be one.”

If you believe that JetBlue is attempting to influence, interfere or coerce you against exercising your right to join a union, please notify an IAM representative. CLICK HERE to find out more about your rights, and how you can file an ANONYMOUS “carrier interference” charge.

Get Printable Flyer

Related News

February Helping Hands: Financial Health

February Helping Hands: Financial Health

Feb 8, 2024

EAP Peers:        February is often a month that people are struggling with finances after the holidays. We focus on a government agency that has some terrific resources - the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau. This agency has a myriad of resources to help with any...

$8,000 in Scholarships are Now Available!

$8,000 in Scholarships are Now Available!

Feb 6, 2024

$8,000 in Scholarships are Now Available!District Lodge 141 is excited to announce the commencement of its 2024 Adolph Stutz Memorial Scholarship Essay Contest!$8,000 in Scholarships are Now Available!IAM141.org 6 February 2024District Lodge 141 is excited to announce...

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Union Pay Gap Expands in 2023

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Union Pay Gap Expands in 2023

Feb 6, 2024

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Union Pay Gap Expands in 2023WASHINGTON DC - According to the February report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, union membership in 2023 held steady and did not decline despite employers spending over $400 million to oppose unification...

AFL-CIO: Thousands of JetBlue Ground Workers Organizing With Machinists

AFL-CIO: Thousands of JetBlue Ground Workers Organizing With Machinists

Sep 28, 2022 | Front Page, JetBlue, Organizing, Page Five, Page Three, Row 2, Uncategorized

Photo Credit: Brian Vega, IAMAW District 141 Social and Visual Media Coordinator.

AFL-CIO: Thousands of JetBlue Ground Workers Organizing With Machinists


AFL-CIO
28 September 2022

Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors, and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

Exciting news broke this morning that the Machinists (IAM) have filed for a union election on behalf of approximately 3,000 ground operations workers and baggage handlers at JetBlue. These workers say below-standard industry pay rates and benefits, poor and unsafe working conditions, unjustified discipline and terminations, among many other issues, are their reasons for wanting IAM representation and a seat at the table.

“I congratulate all JetBlue Ground Operations workers for uniting in solidarity and demanding that a union representation election be conducted,” said IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. “It’s been a long road for these brave workers to get to this point, and the IAM stands shoulder to shoulder with them. We will mobilize our union’s significant resources to ensure that these brave and resilient JetBlue workers have a fair and free election.”

“It’s high time that JetBlue workers gain the dignity and respect of a union contract and a strong voice on the job,” said IAM Air Transport Territory General Vice President Richard Johnsen (not pictured). “When our country needed essential goods and services [sent] to where they were needed most during the pandemic, JetBlue workers answered the bell and risked their lives and health to make that happen. What did they get from management? They got their hours and pay cut because they didn’t have a seat at the table. That will end very soon.”

 

 

Justice Department Expected to Block JetBlue / Spirit Merger

Mar 6, 2023

DOJ Expected to Block JetBlue / Sprit MergerIAM141.org March 6, 2023According to two anonymous sources familiar with the matter, the Justice Department plans to file a lawsuit as early as Tuesday to prevent JetBlue's proposed $3.8 billion acquisition of Spirit...

Scholarship Contest is Now Underway!

Feb 27, 2023

The Scholarship Contest is Underway!IAM141.org February 27, 2023Calling all high school seniors and college and trade school students! Prepare to prove your worth in the arena of the written word by taking part in the 2023 essay competition. This year's theme is "The...

Iowa Lawmakers Seek to Bring Child Labor Back to the US

Feb 23, 2023

Iowa Lawmakers Seek to Bring Child Labor Back to the USIAM141.org February 23, 2023In February, labor advocates expressed their opposition to a proposed bill in Iowa that state lawmakers have introduced with support from businesses. The bill aims to relax child labor...

Related News

February Helping Hands: Financial Health

February Helping Hands: Financial Health

Feb 8, 2024

EAP Peers:        February is often a month that people are struggling with finances after the holidays. We focus on a government agency that has some terrific resources - the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau. This agency has a myriad of resources to help with any...

$8,000 in Scholarships are Now Available!

$8,000 in Scholarships are Now Available!

Feb 6, 2024

$8,000 in Scholarships are Now Available!District Lodge 141 is excited to announce the commencement of its 2024 Adolph Stutz Memorial Scholarship Essay Contest!$8,000 in Scholarships are Now Available!IAM141.org 6 February 2024District Lodge 141 is excited to announce...

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Union Pay Gap Expands in 2023

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Union Pay Gap Expands in 2023

Feb 6, 2024

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Union Pay Gap Expands in 2023WASHINGTON DC - According to the February report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, union membership in 2023 held steady and did not decline despite employers spending over $400 million to oppose unification...

AFL-CIO: Thousands of JetBlue Ground Workers Organizing With Machinists

AFL-CIO
28 September 2022


Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors, and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

 

Exciting news broke this morning that the Machinists (IAM) have filed for a union election on behalf of approximately 3,000 ground operations workers and baggage handlers at JetBlue. These workers say below-standard industry pay rates and benefits, poor and unsafe working conditions, unjustified discipline and terminations, among many other issues, are their reasons for wanting IAM representation and a seat at the table.

 

“I congratulate all JetBlue Ground Operations workers for uniting in solidarity and demanding that a union representation election be conducted,” said IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. “It’s been a long road for these brave workers to get to this point, and the IAM stands shoulder to shoulder with them. We will mobilize our union’s significant resources to ensure that these brave and resilient JetBlue workers have a fair and free election.”

 

“It’s high time that JetBlue workers gain the dignity and respect of a union contract and a strong voice on the job,” said IAM Air Transport Territory General Vice President Richard Johnsen (not pictured). “When our country needed essential goods and services [sent] to where they were needed most during the pandemic, JetBlue workers answered the bell and risked their lives and health to make that happen. What did they get from management? They got their hours and pay cut because they didn’t have a seat at the table. That will end very soon.”

Al Yamada: A Legacy of Leadership and Dedication at SEA

Al Yamada: A Legacy of Leadership and Dedication at SEAAfter over three decades of service to Members of the Machinists Union, Al Yamada is set to retire at the end of January. His tenure as a union member and steward spans more than 30 years, a period marked by...

Transcript: Alaska Airlines Pilot Calm Under Depressure

Transcript: Alaska Airlines Pilot Calm Under DepressureThe pilot flying the Alaska Airlines flight from Portland to Seattle last Friday is getting noticed for her super-chill handling a blowout of a cabin door as her plane was three miles in the air.Transcript: Alaska...

New International President Bryant Sworn In

New International President Bryant Sworn In As the new year of 2024 opens, so does a new chapter in the 135-year history of the IAM. Members of the IAM Executive Council on Friday, Jan. 5 took part in an officer installation ceremony at IAM Headquarters in Upper...

IAMAW District 141’s 69th Convention: Racking Up Four Years of Union Wins

IAMAW District 141’s 69th Convention: Racking Up Four Years of Union Wins

Sep 26, 2022 | Front Page, JetBlue, MNPL, Organizing, Page Four, Page Two, Perusals, Row 2, Uncategorized, United

The achievements celebrated at the event included union victories spanning the full spectrum of airport workplaces, including gate and ticket counters, ramp and ground personnel, janitors, security guards, and instructors. Photos: Brian Vega, IAMAW 141 Communications Coordinator

IAMAW District 141’s 69th Convention: Racking Up Four Years of Union Wins

IAM141.org
25 September 2022

The 69th Convention of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) drew to a close on Thursday, but not before providing an opportunity to recap a long list of remarkable improvements to airline work since the District’s last Convention, held in 2018.

The event drew hundreds of top labor leaders from the airline industry, representing ground, gate, ticket counter, and other airline workers from every major airport in the US.

The achievements celebrated at the event included union victories spanning the full spectrum of airport workplaces, including gate and ticket counters, ramp and ground personnel, janitors, security guards, and instructors.

Highlighting Union Triumphs in Commercial Aviation

The wins included a historic wave of impressive contractual agreements throughout the commercial aviation industry. These included the 2020 negotiation of a first contract at SM Cargo, which was overwhelmingly ratified by the newly organized membership. Another agreement, this one for janitorial workers at Flagship, was approved unanimously by every union member at the company. 

Union Members also overwhelmingly ratified a 2021 agreement at Spirit, the second union contract for fleet service workers at the airline.

“We were extremely proud of the overwhelmingly ratified agreement we negotiated at Spirit Airlines,” said District President Mike Klemm, who led the Convention. “This was only the second contract we negotiated with the carrier, and we all know how challenging those first contracts are to accept for newly organized groups,” he told the delegation. “Our members received wage increases that are, on average, 30% higher than they were previously,” he said to applause. 

“Lead premium increases mean more opportunities for double-time pay, we established new training positions which allow our members to earn even more income from the work they currently already do,” he continued. “But, this Agreement also brings paid vacations to part-time agents. And, for some of those folks, this will be the first real paid vacation they’ve ever known,” Klemm said of the Spirit Agreement. “For those of us at legacy carriers, paid vacations are a normal part of life, but these folks were able to negotiate the first-ever paid vacations, making history at Spirit Airlines.”

 

Last Tuesday, Union Reps attended a formal signing ceremony for the most-recently ratified Agreement at Hawaiian Airlines, which was secured earlier this year. That Agreement will provide significantly improved wage increases and seniority protections for part-timers. Part-timers will also gain access to family health care for the first time in the carriers’ existence. It will also provide better flexibility with day and shift trades and impose financial penalties when the company intrudes on workers’ personal and family time with mandatory overtime.

At United, Calls For Union Members to Email Company Executives

But the main topic at the Convention centered around the contentious negotiations with United Airlines. Although the carrier had committed to producing a solid tentative agreement for union members to vote on by August 1, the talks broke down after weeks of company stonewalling.

 

“The days of Oscar Munoz are over,” President Klemm said of the negotiations. “Oscar was a people person. He cared about people, and he cared about the airline. And, we rewarded that commitment. After that Agreement was reached, United Airlines experienced the best financial success in the history of the carrier,” he went on. “And we showed up. During the pandemic, we couldn’t work from home, or from behind a desk. We were there for this airline when it mattered most. We were there when the carrier went to lawmakers for emergency funds to get through the months when travel was nearly impossible. We produced thousands of calls and visits to lawmakers, securing the money the company needed to survive,” he said.

“The thanks we get for that sacrifice is a slap in the face offer so insulting to this membership that talks broke down through the entire month of August.”

“They’re saying that our members don’t really care about job security, and pay raises that wouldn’t even buy half a gallon of gas are ok,” he said.

“All we’re asking for is that, if we are willing to do right by this company, then this company should do right by us. That’s all we’re asking. If we show up to work, do our jobs well, and honor our commitments to this company, then United should be willing to say, in writing, that they will not arbitrarily decide one day to eliminate or outsource our jobs,” he said to roars of applause from the assembled delegates. 

President Klemm also told the Convention that the recent solidarity actions around the nation have been effective. “They got flustered,” he said. “They didn’t expect to see all the “Contract Now’ signs. They didn’t expect to have their inboxes flooded with emails. When they saw that outpouring of solidarity, they got rattled.” Klemm encouraged the union to step up its already impressive email campaign, as company executives can’t miss personal messages in their inboxes. “If you’ve already written to Kirby, do it again,” he said. “Do it every week. If you know someone that normally sits quietly and lets things play out, encourage them not to sit this one out,” he said. “I have seen how those emails have made the company rethink their position with my own eyes.”

 

For pointers, Klemm told the delegates that personal stories are more effective than insults when writing to Kirby and other company executives. “Tell them how inflation is affecting your family. Tell them how important your job is to you,” Klemm said. “We think that 60% of our members at United have yet to send an email to the company. That means we have a lot more in the tank. If they’re already getting nervous, imagine what can happen if thousands more of us join in.”

JetBlue Files For Representation

The Convention is coming to a close as JetBlue organizing begins a new phase; 3000 Ground Operations Crewmembers successfully filed for a union representation vote at the airline, a first for ground crews. On Friday, the Machinists Union announced that it would file for a union representation vote with the National Mediation Board, the Federal agency that oversees labor law for airlines. The efforts to organize ground operations at JetBlue are led by inside committees staffed by current JetBlue workers. Sensing the campaign was reaching a critical stage, these committees opted to skip the Convention and continue their organizing work.

Even without its entire cadre of organizers, union growth was prominent at the Convention. Speaking at the event was Amazon Labor Union activist Tristan Lion Dutchin, whose efforts to organize the first-ever union at the shipping giant led to his unlawful termination from the Staten Island Facility where he had been employed. His story earned international headlines and helped secure an eventual union win at Amazon. Machinist Union delegates at the Convention, moved by his story, raised a little over $2,000, which they awarded to Dutchin in honor of his dedication to the cause of union organizing.

This was just one of the rounds of donations delegates raised for important charities. Guide Dogs of America, which provides service dogs to veterans, children with autism, and visually impaired persons at no cost, was also championed at the Convention. In all, delegates raised approximately $17,000 for charitable organizations and causes.

Held in Orlando, Florida, from September 20-22, the 69th Convention of Machinists Union District 141 drew 224 delegates from Local Lodges around the nation. Also attending were Machinists Union senior leaders, including General Vice President Richard Johnsen. Johnsen is spearheading a range of innovative new programs at the union, including strengthening alliances with other labor organizations, ensuring that new hires are connected to the larger union, and creating a movement-driven mission for labor. The comments fit into the larger vision that Johnsen has painted for unionism as a vital social cause – and more than a set of membership services.

“All around the nation, people are starting to see the value of their labor and wondering where they fit in. We can be that for them; their work has incredible value to unions and working people. At the end of the day, companies only value money. We, as working people, can be so much more. We can help each other spend more time with our families, work in safer environments, and earn better livelihoods in more rewarding careers. We can do that by acting in union, and bringing the power of collective action to bear for working Americans.”

“Values Committee” Cannot Protect Anything

Buy Provigil Online: Everything You Need to Know Buy Lyrica Buy Tapentadol Online: How to Safely Purchase Your Medication Buy Clonazepam Without Prescription Buy Clenbuterol Online Buy Ativan Order Xanax Online Buy Diazepam...

Southwest Airlines Union Contract; Top Out Pay Rate $35 per hour

Southwest Airlines IAM Members Vote In Industry Leading Contract; Top Out Pay Rate $35 per Hour Justice at JetBlue16 December 2022IAM members at Southwest Airlines voted yesterday to approve an industry-leading contract. The four-year contract provides for the below...
FAREWELL, OLD FRIEND!
Tony D bid a heartfelt farewell to the many whose lives he’s touched over his long career as District Safety Director today. After an illustrious tenure, he is finally taking a much-deserved retirement. His dedicated service to Machinists Union members was honored with a touching tribute, read formally before the Convention delegates, along with hugs and well-wishes. Congratulations on a truly remarkable career, Brother Tony.

See the Full Gallery on Facebook >>

Related News

February Helping Hands: Financial Health

February Helping Hands: Financial Health

Feb 8, 2024

EAP Peers:        February is often a month that people are struggling with finances after the holidays. We focus on a government agency that has some terrific resources - the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau. This agency has a myriad of resources to help with any...

$8,000 in Scholarships are Now Available!

$8,000 in Scholarships are Now Available!

Feb 6, 2024

$8,000 in Scholarships are Now Available!District Lodge 141 is excited to announce the commencement of its 2024 Adolph Stutz Memorial Scholarship Essay Contest!$8,000 in Scholarships are Now Available!IAM141.org 6 February 2024District Lodge 141 is excited to announce...

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Union Pay Gap Expands in 2023

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Union Pay Gap Expands in 2023

Feb 6, 2024

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Union Pay Gap Expands in 2023WASHINGTON DC - According to the February report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, union membership in 2023 held steady and did not decline despite employers spending over $400 million to oppose unification...

IAM Files for Union Representation Election for Approximately 3,000 JetBlue Ground Workers

IAM Files for Union Representation Election for Approximately 3,000 JetBlue Ground Workers

Sep 23, 2022 | Front Page, JetBlue, Organizing, Page Five, Page Three, Page Two, Perusals, Row 2

IAM Files for Union Representation Election for Approximately 3,000 JetBlue Ground Workers


23 September 2022

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2022 — The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), North America’s largest airline union, today announced that it will file an application with the National Mediation Board (NMB), the federal agency that conducts union representation elections in the airline and railroad sectors. The IAM has sufficient interest among JetBlue Fleet Service workers to conduct a union representation election.

“I congratulate all JetBlue Ground Operations workers for uniting in solidarity and demanding that a union representation election be conducted,” said IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. “It’s been a long road for these brave workers to get to this point, and the IAM stands shoulder to shoulder with them. We will mobilize our union’s significant resources to ensure that these brave and resilient JetBlue workers have a fair and free election.”

JetBlue Ground Operations workers rebooted their efforts to gain union representation in 2021 after working through the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused the worst financial downturn in the airline industry’s history.

“It’s high time that JetBlue workers gain the dignity and respect of a union contract, and a strong voice on the job,” said IAM Air Transport Territory General Vice President Richard Johnsen. “When our country needed essential goods and services to where they were needed most during the pandemic, JetBlue workers answered the bell and risked their lives and health to make that happen. What did they get from management? They got their hours and pay cut because they didn’t have a seat at the table. That will end very soon.”

“I also fully expect for JetBlue management to adhere to the law and allow JetBlue workers to vote without influence, coercion and interference from JetBlue management. If not, we will leave no stone unturned to hold them accountable,” continued Johnsen.

JetBlue workers have cited below-standard industry pay rates and benefits, poor and unsafe working conditions, unjustified discipline and terminations, among many other issues as reasons to gain IAM representation and a seat at the table.

“JetBlue workers are a smart, strong and determined group of workers and we can’t wait to welcome them into the IAM family,” said IAM District 141 President Mike Klemm. “The IAM will support JetBlue workers in getting to and winning this election and negotiating a union contract that reflects their true value to JetBlue Airways.”

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers is one of the largest and most diverse industrial trade unions in North America, representing approximately 600,000 active and retired members in

the aerospace, defense, airlines, railroad, transit, healthcare, automotive, and other industries.

Get Printable Copy of Press Release >>

Related: We Filed: What’s Next? >>

Transcript: Alaska Airlines Pilot Calm Under Depressure

Transcript: Alaska Airlines Pilot Calm Under DepressureThe pilot flying the Alaska Airlines flight from Portland to Seattle last Friday is getting noticed for her super-chill handling a blowout of a cabin door as her plane was three miles in the air.Transcript: Alaska...

New International President Bryant Sworn In

New International President Bryant Sworn In As the new year of 2024 opens, so does a new chapter in the 135-year history of the IAM. Members of the IAM Executive Council on Friday, Jan. 5 took part in an officer installation ceremony at IAM Headquarters in Upper...

SMX Cargo Negotiations Update

Talks continued to flow in a positive direction. Although we didn’t reach a final Tentative Agreement on any articles this session, we did make progress. This progress was made on Article 3, which covers compensation and pay; Article 9, which applies to Vacation and...

Faysal Silwany Sworn in as Vice President of IAM District 141

Faysal Silwany Sworn in as Vice President of IAM District 141Faysal Silwany was sworn in as vice president by Machinists Union District President Mike Klemm in a ceremony that took place during Wednesday's District 141 Executive Board meeting.Faysal Silwany Sworn in...

Important Letter from the United Labor Coalition

Important Letter from the United Labor Coalition Just over one year ago, the United Airlines Labor Coalition raised its concern over United’s codeshare agreement with Emirates Airlines, based partly on accounts of unfair labor practices and employee intimidation in...

Related News

February Helping Hands: Financial Health

February Helping Hands: Financial Health

Feb 8, 2024

EAP Peers:        February is often a month that people are struggling with finances after the holidays. We focus on a government agency that has some terrific resources - the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau. This agency has a myriad of resources to help with any...

$8,000 in Scholarships are Now Available!

$8,000 in Scholarships are Now Available!

Feb 6, 2024

$8,000 in Scholarships are Now Available!District Lodge 141 is excited to announce the commencement of its 2024 Adolph Stutz Memorial Scholarship Essay Contest!$8,000 in Scholarships are Now Available!IAM141.org 6 February 2024District Lodge 141 is excited to announce...

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Union Pay Gap Expands in 2023

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Union Pay Gap Expands in 2023

Feb 6, 2024

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Union Pay Gap Expands in 2023WASHINGTON DC - According to the February report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, union membership in 2023 held steady and did not decline despite employers spending over $400 million to oppose unification...