Pilots travel to Omaha to focus attention on luxury brand's continued refusal to boldly address pilot labor crisis
COLUMBUS, Ohio, May 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots (NJASAP) hosted the largest informational picket in NetJets history this past Saturday outside the 2023 Berkshire Hathaway Shareholders' Meeting in Omaha; NJASAP represents the 3,000-plus pilots who fly in the service of NetJets Aviation, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary (NYSE:BRK). An extraordinary demonstration of Membership solidarity and resolve, the event drew more than 800 off-duty pilots and their family members from across the United States.
"The NetJets pilots and our families will not stand idly by and watch the continued erosion of our brand's reputation as a career destination carrier," NJASAP President Capt. Pedro Leroux said. "Quite the contrary, for however long it takes, we will pursue a competitive package of wages, benefits and working conditions that positions the brand to attract and to retain the pilot talent required to support the world's most complex and dynamic flying environment." To date, NetJets has chosen not to acknowledge the sustained pilot labor crisis and to take bold steps to hone its competitive edge, potentially jeopardizing its ability to maintain the caliber of workforce required to support the Fractional's very demanding operation.
"In response to a question about NetJets asked during the annual meeting this past Saturday, Berkshire Hathaway Vice Chairman Charlie Munger commented, 'You can argue it is worth as much as any airline now,'" Leroux said. "NJASAP agrees – in the same way we unreservedly agree with a statement in the 2022 Berkshire Hathaway Annual Report that emphasizes the importance of recruiting and retaining qualified, competent personnel." Failure to maintain an experienced, talented workforce, the report continued, could have negative implications for the conglomerate and its subsidiaries.
Interestingly, NetJets executives' decisions of late do not reflect Berkshire's view on the subsidiary's value or the consequential nature of experienced pilot personnel – especially in light of the sustained pilot labor crisis. "We are puzzled by what we are seeing unfold at NetJets," Leroux continued. "Given the complexity of our operational environment and the premium NetJets owners pay for the level of safety and service that distinguishes the brand as the global leader in private air transportation, it is time the Executive Management Team restores the brand's competitive edge."
A more comprehensive discussion of NJASAP's concerns is available at www.GenuineQS.com.
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 pilots who fly in the service of NetJets Aviation, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway 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
