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Flight attendants for growing airline seek to join labor union

On Behalf of | Dec 14, 2017 | Union Representation |

For some employees in New York and across the nation, the idea of unionizing is foreign to them. There could be a variety of reasons for this from management discouraging it to unfounded fear that seeking to join a labor union could be detrimental to their employment. The truth is that workers who believe their interests would be better-served were they to come together as a union should explore the possibility. When doing this, it is imperative to have a law firm that is experienced in union representation to provide legal guidance and advice.

Steps to unionize were taken by the flight attendants for JetBlue Airways. This information comes from the Transport Workers Union (TWU). JetBlue, based in New York, is a growing company. Many of the flight attendants are based in New York. An election is set to be held to provide union representation to close to 5,000 workers. The workers are planning a vote at the start of the new year.

There were previous attempts on the part of JetBlue flight attendants to unionize. Both failed. The focus for the unionization attempt is to handle their wages and due process when employees are disciplined. The union they seek to join, TWU, currently represents Southwest Airlines’ flight attendants. JetBlue states that it will discuss the proposal for the workers to unionize. In 2014, the pilots for the airline joined a union and contract discussions have been ongoing for more than two years.

Workers who believe they would derive benefit from unionizing and negotiating with management as a group should understand all the aspects of their decision. There are many different reasons for a group of employees to form a union. It can be due to poor treatment, wage issues, collective bargaining, health care and other employee benefits. Regardless of the reason, having legal assistance when taking the next step is key. Contacting a law firm that is experienced in helping unions is an essential first step.

Source: wsj.com, “JetBlue Flight Attendants Move Toward Unionizing,” Melanie Grayce West, Dec. 6, 2017