March 29th, 2021

Republic Management Hires Ford and Harrison Attorney to Impede Union Organizing, Institutes New Attendance Policy

Recently, Republic management hired Ellen Ham as Director of Labor Relations who previously worked at the notoriously union busting law firm, Ford and Harrison. Ms. Ham’s hiring is to ensure that Republic Airways management retains all control regarding the decisions that are made that affect every aspect of our professional lives. She will go on a “roadshow” with the aim to “listen” to our concerns. However, while Republic management will certainly “listen” to us, if we continue to not have collective bargaining rights, then we do NOT have any power to have a real effect on our employment terms.

A perfect example of not having the right to collectively bargain is the new attendance policy and its implementation. If we were unionized, the attendance policy and its implementation would be a subject of collective bargaining. At the very least, we would be consulted and would certainly have an impact on the policy and its implementation, and if there were issues of fairness we could address them in a fair and impartial grievance procedure.

For example, having a contract and a legally binding impartial grievance procedure, we would have the right to appeal “occurrences” that we believe are erroneous and we would have the right to ensure the policy is administered fairly among all employees.

Please sign an election authorization card (a-card) today. We are making progress and the groups recently added to the “mechanic and related” classification by the National Mediation Board (NMB) are showing support for our effort to unionize.

Please remember that your right to sign an “a-card” is protected under federal law and Republic management is prohibited from ever knowing who signed an a-card.

You can request an a-card online here.