(LONG ISLAND CITY) - After years of frustration concerning pay, workplace changes and a shifting company culture, Air Dispatchers and Operations Workers at JetBlue Airways have voted to join the Transport Workers Union (TWU) of America, reviving a Union drive that had previously collapsed amid management pressure. 

The Workers - based at JetBlue’s headquarters in Long Island City, will now begin preparing for contract negotiations.

Union Representatives said 127 of them participated in the vote, with additional Workers joining the Bargaining Unit since.

The victory arrives through the Workers’ second Unionization attempt.

According to TWU Organizing Director Angelo Cucuzza, an earlier campaign launched roughly four years ago stalled after management actions discouraged participation among the Dispatch Workforce. 

“Word got out to management and they created a chilling effect,” Cucuzza told The Chief. “Workers were basically told that if they voted for a Union, operations could be moved from Long Island City to Florida.”

The Unionization effort picked up steam six months ago amongst uncertainty of JetBlue’s future, including rumors of mergers or acquisitions following the collapse of the Airline’s proposed merger with Spirit Airlines.

Unions often serve as a safeguard during mergers or restructuring, Organizers argue, giving Workers a formal role in negotiations that may reshape the landscape of their industry, which is often subject to economic volatility. 

TWU International President John Samuelsen framed the vote as empowering Workers against management’s intimidation tactics: “JetBlue Dispatch Workers sent a strong message to the bosses - they are done with worthless at-will employment agreements that only serve management’s interests. We are continuing our industrial organizing at JetBlue and will now fight for a first contract that delivers better pay and working conditions.”

To Continue Reading This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: JetBlue dispatchers vote to unionize amid pay disputes, job security fears - The Chief