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.

FMI: www.jetbluepilots.org