Virgin America Flight Attendants seek union vote!

[700UW]

http://my.chicagotribune.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-80258569/

 

SEATTLE (Reuters) - Flight attendants at Virgin America airlines are seeking a vote on whether to unionize, according to an official at the Transport Workers Union (TWU), in a move that could pave the way for organized labor's latest victory in the airline industry.
 
 

 

 

[Kev3188]

Another link:
 
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/exclusive-virgin-america-flight-attendants-191727142.html
 
From the article:
 
 
Under labor rules, employees need to show support from 50 percent of their ranks, plus one, to file for an election.
"We have an overwhelming majority," McDaniel said. "It's not at 50 percent, it's way over that. We've got well more than we need."
 
Game on.

 

[WorldTraveler]

and given the fact that B6' FAs are looking for unions, it makes it all the more incredible that DL FAs have consistently voted against unionization.

Tell us what other US airline FAs have voted against unions as many times as DL FAs have.

 

[Kev3188]

This is about VX. No shortage of space on the DL board to discuss that...

 

[WorldTraveler]

well of course it is about VX.
How many years have they been flying? how many times have their FAs voted?

How VX and their labor relations compare to the industry is absolutely relevant.

 

[Kev3188]

And?

 

[WorldTraveler]

so how many years has it taken for VX FAs to ask for a vote? and is this even their first?

 

[Kev3188]

Nope.

 

[WorldTraveler]

question 1?

 

[700UW]

and given the fact that B6' FAs are looking for unions, it makes it all the more incredible that DL FAs have consistently voted against unionization.

Tell us what other US airline FAs have voted against unions as many times as DL FAs have.

 

[robbedagain]

Good for vx fa/s. Good luck to them.

 

[WorldTraveler]

good for what? because they don't have what they want so they want to try to set up a confrontational environment with mgmt.? how is that good?

and for a carrier that prides itself in a superior customer service experience, how is being unionized going to influence their customer employee interactions?

It is clear that the vast majority of mgmt. teams in the airline industry only now how to mgmt. people such that the end result is that they must be organized.... but there is one distinct example otherwise and that is why DL has managed to keep the vast majority of its own employees from unionizing but has also eliminated tens of thousands of memberships from union roles as it has acquired formerly unionized employees and given them the freedom to make their own choice again.

 

[Kev3188]

Good for vx fa/s. Good luck to them.

+1

 

[WorldTraveler]

again, tell us how VX FAs gain as a result of being in a union.

The only winners are the unions.

It won't even be clear that B6 pilots gained much financially as a result of becoming unionized because the company threw in the pay raises before the union vote.

If they had been paid at or above industry standard levels, ALPA wouldn't have gotten in.

If VX mgmt. had paid their FAs at or above industry averages, the union vote wouldn't be taking place or at least would have no chance of winning.

companies get the unions they ask for - but it is far from evidential that employees are rewarded with greater pay when a union is present vs if they are not.

 

[Kev3188]

again, tell us how VX FAs gain as a result of being in a union.

An actual say in the direction of their careers.

The only winners are the unions.

And since unions are made up of their membership, that can only be a good thing.