NETJETS SUED BY PILOT UNION

Rhea-AI Summary

The NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots (NJASAP) filed a lawsuit against Berkshire Hathaway's NetJets in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, accusing the luxury jet carrier of suppressing union-related speech, violating federal labor law. The complaint stems from threats by NetJets to discipline pilots for directing customers to the union's website for contract negotiation queries. NJASAP argues that this action infringes on pilots' rights to communicate about labor disputes. Despite NJASAP's efforts to engage in dialogue, NetJets has not responded to union inquiries. Additionally, NetJets leadership has accused the union of being out of touch with its members. This legal challenge highlights tensions between NetJets management and its pilots amid ongoing labor negotiations.

Positive

• The lawsuit indicates active engagement by NJASAP in protecting pilot rights.
• The union is seeking to protect its members' ability to discuss workplace issues.

Negative

• NetJets is accused of suppressing union-related communication, potentially affecting employee morale.
• Tensions between NetJets management and pilots may lead to further disruptions in company operations.

NJASAP accuses luxury jet carrier of suppressing workplace speech

COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots (NJASAP), the labor organization representing the 3,000-plus pilots employed by Berkshire Hathaway's (NYSE: BRK.A) NetJets, Inc., filed a complaint against the luxury jet carrier in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. The lawsuit accuses NetJets of attempting to suppress union-related pilot speech in violation of federal labor law.

NJASAP filed the lawsuit after NetJets threatened to discipline pilots for referring customers to the Union's website.

NJASAP filed the lawsuit yesterday in response to NetJets's threat to discipline or to discharge pilots for referring aircraft owners and customers to the union's www.GenuineQS.com website when they ask questions about contract negotiations. The Union website provides visitors with information about the sustained U.S. pilot shortage, the status of negotiations between the parties and how career earnings at NetJets compare to the airlines.

On March 8, 2023, NetJets Chief Operating Officer Alan Bobo sent an email to NetJets pilots accusing them of violating the carrier's work rules. Union representatives asked NetJets how pilots should respond if they are asked questions about contract negotiations and related issues. But NetJets refused to respond to the union's questions and did not lift the ban on speaking about the website.

"The aircraft owners and customers we fly engage our pilots in conversations every day, including about their jobs and a wide variety of other topics," NJASAP President Capt. Pedro Leroux said. "It is only natural that they would ask us for basic information about our current labor dispute when they see picketers. Referring to a union website is a professional and legal way to respond to their questions. We believe NetJet's discriminatory ban on union-related speech is unprofessional and illegal." 

While prohibiting pilots from speaking about the union website, NetJets President of Sales, Marketing and Service Patrick Gallagher, on April 19, sent an email to hundreds of NetJets employees claiming the pilot union's leadership is out of touch with its members. 

Gallagher's email, sent the same day that more than 350 NetJets pilots engaged in an informational picket at the air carrier's Columbus, Ohio headquarters, also accuses NJASAP and unions at unnamed airlines of raising safety issues "when negotiations heat up" as part of what he referred to as "the union playbook." In the lawsuit, NJASAP calls these allegations false, reckless, and part of a campaign to undermine the pilot union and its elected leadership in violation of the Railway Labor Act.

"NJASAP stands ready to resolve our disputes with NetJets in the best interest of pilots, the company we work for and the people who depend on us for world class safety and service," Leroux said. "What we will not stand for is an attack on our members' workplace speech rights or their federally protected right to elect union leaders without management interference."

About NJASAP Founded in 2008 as an independent labor advocate, the NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots (NJASAP) represents the professional interests of the 3,000-plus pilots who fly in the service of NetJets Aviation, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) subsidiary. For more information, please visit our websites, www.njasap.com and www.genuineqs.com, or find us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/njasap, Instagram, www.instagram.com/njasap, and Twitter, @njasap.

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SOURCE NJASAP

FAQ

What is the lawsuit filed by NJASAP against NetJets about?

The lawsuit accuses NetJets of suppressing union-related speech and violating federal labor laws.

When was the lawsuit against NetJets filed?

The lawsuit was filed on April 25, 2023.

What claims did NJASAP make in the lawsuit?

NJASAP claims that NetJets threatened to discipline pilots for referring customers to the union's website.

How many pilots are represented by NJASAP?

NJASAP represents over 3,000 pilots working for NetJets.

What actions did NetJets take against pilots regarding union communications?

NetJets threatened discipline for pilots who referred customers to the union's website for contract negotiation information.