JetBlue's (JBLU) Ground Workers Seek Union Representation
JetBlue Airways’ JBLU ground workers are seeking to unionize. To this end, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) intends to file an application with the National Mediation Board (NMB) soon. NMB is the federal agency responsible for conducting elections pertaining to union representation of airlines and railroads.
Per Robert Martinez Jr, the international president of IAM, “I congratulate all JetBlue Ground Operations workers for uniting in solidarity and demanding that a union representation election be conducted. It’s been a long road for these brave workers to get to this point, and the IAM stands shoulder to shoulder with them. We will mobilize our union’s significant resources to ensure that these brave and resilient JetBlue workers have a fair and free election.”
We note that JBLU’s ground workers made concerted efforts to get a union representation. IAM representing around 3,000 ground workers at JBLU, believes that the ground-level staff is underpaid and therefore unionization is very important for this category of workforce.
Following unionization, AMFA is expected to engage in talks with JBLU for higher pay, better working conditions and other related factors for the ground workers. This is likely to elevate costs at the currently Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) JBLU, which could have possibly prevented management from taking a decision in favor of unionization.
Per a Reuters report, management believes that “the direct relationship we have with our ground operations crewmembers has worked, and will continue to work, and that third-party representation and the costs to our crewmembers that come with it are not in their best interests."
Stocks to Consider
Some better-ranked stocks in the Zacks Transportation sector are Triton International TRTN and C.H. Robinson CHRW.
Triton is being aided by the gradual increase in trade volumes and container demand. TRTN expects container demand to remain strong throughout 2022. Measures to reward its shareholders through dividends and buybacks instill confidence in the stock.
Triton has an expected earnings growth rate of 22.4% for the current year. TRTN’s bottom line outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the last four quarters, the average being 7.5%. TRTN currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
C.H. Robinson is being aided by an improving freight scenario in the United States. Efforts to control costs also bode well. Measures to reward its shareholders instill confidence in the stock.
CHRW has a pleasant earnings track record. The bottom line surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters (missing the mark in the remaining one). The stock has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2022 earnings being revised 17.3% upward over the past 60 days. C.H. Robinson currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2.
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JetBlue Airways Corporation (JBLU) : Free Stock Analysis Report
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