Virgin America workers voting on TWU union again for flight attendants

Virgin America workers voting on TWU union again for flight attendants
http://www.sfchronicle.com/business/bottomline/article/Virgin-America-wo...
By Andrew S. Ross

June 26, 2014 | Updated: June 26, 2014 5:48pm

Liz Hafalia, The Chronicle

Virgin America workers will vote on union representation next month. It is the second attempt to organize employees of the airline.
Might the second time be a charm for attempts to unionize Burlingame'sVirgin America, the last nonunion U.S. airline in the country?

Pay, scheduling problems, uncompensated time and discipline procedures are among the issues pro-union flight attendants have raised among the approximately 850 eligible to vote. The issue went down to defeat in 2011.

"We're confident we'll see a similar outcome this time," said Virgin America spokeswoman Jennifer Thomas.

"We have a much bigger majority eligible to vote this time. We're going to do our talking with our votes," said Thom McDaniel, international vice president of the Transport Workers Union of America, which is organizing the drive.

Judging by their competing websites (company:www.keepitvirgin.org; union: www.twuvx.org), the campaign is pretty intense ahead of the monthlong balloting, beginning July 16.

Virgin America, the Bay Area's sole airline, is rated consistently at or near the top among domestic airlines in customer polls and industry surveys.

"We believe we got where we are today in large part because we've worked together as one team with a common focus on making flying good again," Thomas said. "It is our view that a third party like the TWU would only detract from that."

"They always have the same lines," responded McDaniel, a 22-year flight attendant. "They talk about a 'third party,' but they have a third-party lawyer working for them. It's also an insult to the flight attendants."

Both sides, however, are looking to be friends. "We respect our teammates' freedom of choice. We're looking to have a constructive, cooperative relationship with them," McDaniel said.