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Teamsters Launch Bargaining At Flight Options, Flexjet
(WASHINGTON) – The International Brotherhood of Teamsters Airline Division has sent a “Section 6 Notice” to OneSky, LLC parent company of fractional share airlines Flight Options and Flexjet on behalf of the pilots represented by the union at those air carriers.
Under the Railway Labor Act, the filing of notice on Feb. 24 signals the Teamsters’ intent to commence negotiations to unify all the pilots of both air carriers under a single collective bargaining agreement.
The Teamsters also announced that pilot committees from each of the two combining carriers had agreed to a fair and equitable seniority integration plan.
“Our members at Flight Options and Flexjet have helped to spur their respective companies to record growth and profits, but have received little of the reward of their hard work and sacrifice,” said Efrem Vojta, President of Teamsters Local 1108 in Richmond Heights, Ohio.
“Flexjet management has fought tooth and nail against its pilots’ efforts to choose a union because it feared the bargaining strength of both pilot groups combined. Now is the time to use that strength to get an industry-leading contract at this major player in the factional private luxury air transportation market,” Vojta added.
OneSky, LLC, the parent company, purchased Flight Options in 2007 and Flexjet in 2013. In 2015, the National Mediation Board determined that the two formerly separate carriers constituted a single carrier for the purpose of collective bargaining, triggering the combination of their workforces. In December 2015, pilots from Flexjet and Flight Options voted jointly to be represented by the Teamsters, which had previously represented only the Flight Options pilots.
“We are pleased that the Flexjet and Flight Options pilots will be able to sit at the same bargaining table to negotiate as a single cohesive unit,” said Capt. David Bourne, Director of the Teamsters Airline Division. “We are also proud that our pilot committees have been able to reach an amicable and fair agreement on the issue of seniority integration. We look forward to productive negotiations with the combined carrier to bring the pilots’ pay, benefits, and work rules up to the top of the fractional industry.”
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. For more information, please visit www.teamster.org.