JFK POCKET SESSION FILLED WITH LIES AND MISREPRESENTATIONS AS UNION CAMPAIGN PROGRESSES Using a tactic that tricked and influenced JetBlue GO Crewmembers from voting to unionize during the union election in 2023, JetBlue management and their hand-picked agents are at it again. In a "pocket session" held this week at JFK Airport, a GO Crewmember who does not work in the operation and who management directed to spread false information about the union, stated the following lies and misrepresentations:
LIE 1: "IAM UNION CONTRACTS DON'T ALLOW WORKERS TO TRADE OFF AND PICK UP HOURS." TRUTH: Every IAM UNION contract protects IAM-represented airline workers RIGHTS to trade hours away and pick up hours. Below are links to examples of IAM contracts that PROTECT IAM members' TRADING RIGHTS. United Airlines (pages 37-39): https://iam141.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Final-FLEET-SERVICE-EMPLOYEES-2023-2025-Agreement-0426231-003.pdf American Airlines (pages 62-64): iam141.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/TWU-IAM-Fleet-Employee-Association-JCBA-3-26-2020.pdf Southwest Airlines (pages 20-22 PSE class and craft): https://atd142.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IAM-CBA.pdf Alaska Airlines: No contractual limitation on trades. All trade hours worked count towards weekly computation of overtime, as well. LIE 2: "THE IAM DOES NOT REPRESENT AMERICAN AIRLINES RAMP WORKERS." TRUTH: The IAM UNION and the Transport Workers Union (TWU) formed the "TWU-IAM Association" after the merger of American Airlines and US Airways in 2013 to jointly represent the American Airlines Fleet Service workers. Last year, IAM and TWU members at American Airlines voted in an industry-leading contract, with the highest wages, best benefits and industry-leading working conditions. Click the link to see the recent extension agreement ratified by American ramp workers by over 90%: https://www.twu-iam-association.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/20240923-TWU-IAM-Fleet-CBA-Extension-Agreement-Company-Draft-v.-2.0.pdf LIE 2: "THE IAM DOES NOT REPRESENT ANY WORKERS AT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES." TRUTH: The IAM UNION represents more than 7,000 Southwest Airlines Customer Service and Reservations Agents. The Southwest IAM-represented Customer Service workers at Southwest earn $39.50, which leads the industry by $1.68. LIE 3: "IF JETBLUE WORKERS UNIONIZE WITH THE IAM THEY WILL LOSE WEEKLY PAY AT JFK." TRUTH: When JetBlue GO Crewmembers unionize, negotiate and vote in our own contract, we can demand that weekly pay be included in our contract for all states that legally require hourly rated workers to be paid on a weekly basis. New York is such a state. JetBlue management would be forced, based on state law, to agree to such terms. All IAM-represented airline employees who work in New York State are paid on a weekly basis with the exception of American Airlines. American ramp workers negotiated bi-weekly pay in their contract VOLUNTARILY and VOTED IN that change to waive the New York State weekly pay law. It's very important to understand, though, that JetBlue management could seek a waiver from the New York Department of Labor to pay GO Crewmembers on a bi-weekly basis, as Delta Air Lines does. Without a contract, and with a waiver from the NYS DOL, JetBlue could take away weekly pay against our wishes tomorrow. With a UNION and a CONTRACT, they could not. If GO Crewmember's really want to protect weekly pay so that it can never be taken away, the only way to do that is lock it in with a contract! It is very sad and immoral, and potentially unlawful, that JetBlue management is resorting to the same old playbook in which it sends JetBlue employees, who management takes out of the operation and pays (who really knows how much), to coerce, influence and discourage us from exercising our federal right to form a union without interference. Lying about what other UNION CONTRACTS contain is NOT OK. We, as GO Crewmembers, must demand that management STOP LYING and let Crewmembers decide for ourselves, without management interference, if we want to unionize or not. Comments are closed.
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