NJASAP President: Unionization Raises Standards For All Fractional Pilots

The NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots (NJASAP) has pledged to support Flexjet and Flight Options pilots in their efforts to form a union. The NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots or NJASAP represents the 2,700-plus pilots who fly in for the Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary NetJets.

"This vote is a historic opportunity for our Flexjet and Flight Options peers," NJASAP President Pedro Leroux said. "By choosing Teamsters Local 1108 as their labor advocate, they merge their bargaining power, positioning them to preserve what is best about the two carriers and to make necessary improvements to their wages and work rules through the collective bargaining process."

When Flexjet and Flight Options parent company One Sky Flight, LLC, announced plans to merge the carriers, Union leaders and advocates sprang into action. The Cleveland-based Flight Options employs approximately 380 pilots, who are represented by Teamsters Local 1108. Flexjet's 300-plus pilots are not currently part of a union; however, an upcoming election could change that: The National Mediation Board will supervise a representation election scheduled to begin tomorrow. If, at its Dec. 15 conclusion, the pilots vote in favor of a union, then the groups will be combined beneath the Local 1108 umbrella.

"No professional pilot, especially during and after a merger, can afford to be without a union," Leroux emphasized. "This is an undeniable truth that has been borne out time and time again in aviation – a fact I am confident our Flexjet and Flight Options peers understand." Without the benefit of a professional advocate, management teams, he continued, maintain the upper hand, and this is why they fight tooth and nail to keep unions off property. One Sky has been no different: Executives have waged a rigorous anti-union campaign to influence the outcome of the election.

"It is vital the Flight Options and Flexjet pilots stand strong in the face of anti-union tricks like conveniently timed pay increases, promises of benefit improvements, threats of retaliation, and efforts to portray Local 1108 as a meddling outsider," NJASAP Vice President Paulette Gilbert explained. "What management gives during the representation election, they can just as easily take away absent a labor agreement supported by a strong union."

The NJASAP Executive Board and Membership have long viewed cooperation and mutual assistance efforts as critical to improving the safety, pay, benefits and working conditions of all pilots employed in the specialized fractional market. Acting otherwise, as history has shown, thrusts crewmembers into a race to the bottom that lowers standards across the board. "Pilots must join together to protect and enhance the profession regardless of who might sign our paychecks," Leroux said, "This is why NJASAP unreservedly supports Local 1108 in the election and urges every pilot to vote in favor of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters."

(Source: NJASAP news release)

FMI: www.njasap.com