In the midst of midterm contract negotiations with NetJets, the NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots (NJASAP) has filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio alleging that the fractional ownership provider violated federal law by attempting to suppress union-related speech.
According to the NJASAP, which represents more than 3,000 pilots, NetJets “threatened to discipline pilots for referring customers to the union’s website.” The website provides information from NJASAP on how NetJets is losing its “competitive edge” with salaries that fall below those of commercial and regional airlines. The website also details pilot shortage information.
The lawsuit comes as NJASAP has been pushing NetJets to up its compensation as major carriers push through significant rate hikes for their own pilots. NJASAP has staged picketing campaigns at select locations where owners may frequent and on April 19 held such an event across from the company’s headquarters in Columbus, Ohio.
NJASAP said it had received an email in early March from NetJets warning pilots that they are violating work rules. The union added that it asked NetJets how pilots should respond to questions about the contract negotiations but the company has not addressed the question.
NetJets declined to comment.
"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 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 NetJets' discriminatory ban on union-related speech is unprofessional and illegal."