JetBlue Pilots Vote to Join Union
Pilots at JetBlue Airways voted to join a union, the first-ever such move at the New York-based airline, which was founded in 1999.
After twice voting against a proposal to join the Air Line Pilots Association in 2009 and 2011 respectively, 71% of pilots at JetBlue said they were in favor of joining ALPA in the current round of voting, according to a statement released by the National Mediation Board.
The change in sentiment came about “so that we have the ability to improve our professional careers,” said Gustavo Rivera and Rocky Durham, co-chairmen of the JetBlue organizing committee, in a statement on the union’s website. “We also want to work with management to ensure we continue to contribute positively to JetBlue’s success. We believe in JetBlue,” the two pilots added.
JetBlue issued a one-sentence statement saying that the National Mediation Board “will authorize ALPA as the representative body for JetBlue pilots, and then both JetBlue and ALPA will organize negotiating committees.”
The vote marks the end of JetBlue’s run as the largest non-union airline, and the New York-based company’s stock fell in response to the vote.
ALPA represents about 50,000 pilots at 31 North American airlines, and is the world’s largest union for pilots.
(Photo: Accura Media Group)