Flexjet LLC, a leading provider of fractional jet ownership and the only provider to offer Red Label by Flexjet, today announced support of its pilots’ right to change their union representation.
Flexjet has been notified by the National Mediation Board (NMB) that its pilots filed an application with the NMB to hold an election to decertify the Teamsters Local 1108 as their union. This comes a little more than two years after the pilots very narrowly approved representation.
“As in the past, we respect our pilots’ legal right to choose representation,” said Flexjet CEO Mike Silvestro. “Over the course of the past two years, I consistently have heard from our pilots that the union has overpromised and under-delivered. We trust our pilots’ judgement as professionals and, today, we congratulate them on this decision.”
Despite opposition by the union, Flexjet created Red Label, an industry-disrupting program that has become a catalyst for unprecedented growth within the Company. The program created a bond between Flexjet pilots and their employer that led to their demand for change. In addition to offering customers the best aircraft in the industry, Red Label gives pilots the ability to participate in an industry-first environment with features including:
- Crews dedicated to a single aircraft: Modeled after the US military, Red Label gives Flexjet pilots a unique pride-of-ownership with the aircraft not seen in the business aviation industry.
- The ability to self-schedule: Flexjet pilots set their own schedules with their team and manage the aircraft in conjunction with the Company.
- Industry-leading compensation: Red Label offers a 25 percent or greater pay rate when compared to similar equipment in competitive programs and includes a significant bonus program designed to reward superior performance and dedication as opposed to the traditional seniority model.
“When given the opportunity to work together, free of any outside influence, the partnership forged between the Company and our pilots is one that will ensure our mutual success and long-term viability,” Silvestro said. “We have proven that, when we connect mutual goals to performance, we can create profitable programs that are shared with the pilots through a performance bonus of up to 50 percent of their annual salary.”
Silvestro concluded, “This is a historic moment in the timeline of our Company and our industry as a whole. We applaud the pilots’ move and we do not take their confidence in our leadership lightly. We respect that pilots play a fundamental role in our continued success and actions such as this can only enhance our ability to maintain our position as an industry leader.”
The Company has complete confidence that the pilots will make the best decision for Flexjet’s collective future as they consider a move back to a direct relationship with the Company.