Transport Workers Union of America AFL-CIO

Unions are strengthening, and an overwhelming majority

of Americans approve of Unions.

Gallup: More in U.S. See Unions Strengthening and Want It That Way (August 2023)

Workers across all professions and demographics are winning record contracts – UAW has a tentative agreement for 25% increases in their wages over the next four years, Kaiser recently won a 22% increase over four years. The time is now to stand up and demand our seat at the table and wages worthy of the excellent work we do!

AIR MEDICAL ORGANIZERS

Our Idea

We are a small organization, and we were once industry leaders in our profession. We can once more have a larger impact on our profession that not only improves our workplace but also helps to shift the direction of our industry. We desire to organize our fellow team members into a Labor Union that has the ability to represent and advocate on behalf of its members. This is just the starting point – organizing has many benefits that extend beyond wages, hours, and benefits, and we hope you will continue to read with an open mind and consider our goals as independent of other political or labor organizations. There’s a reason we ask that you consider this differently – organizing clinicians professionals working in Helicopter Air Ambulance (HAA) or Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) has never been done before outside of hospital nursing Unions! We have the opportunity to create our own path and, in the process, make history with our own mission and values. We hope you will join us!

This page serves as a one-stop shop for all Air Medical Organizers Crew questions.

Just Helicopter EMS?

Nope, not just helicopter air ambulance, but all air ambulances! This includes fixed-wing and multi-modal. We also wish to advocate in this process for not just employees of private companies but also public and other services. So please don’t take offense if we refer to HAA or HEMS. We are not excluding anyone; we are just providing an overview from our point of view. As we expand our informal group, expect points of view from others in the industry with different experiences and backgrounds. Do you want to be the first to talk about your unique experience? 

Please click the link below if you would like TWU to mail you an authorization card along with a postage paid return envelope you can fill out from the comfort of your home. Please note that the company cannot stop you from having union-related conversations on AND off the job as long as these talks do not interfere with your job responsibilities.

Request Authorization Card

Questions will be answered within 24 hours.

Member questions:

Members submitting questions for public viewing will be posted here anonymously.

Election process:

Key Steps in the Union Election Process under the Railway Labor Act covering those directly employed by air carriers.

1. Signing Authorization Cards / Showing of Interest
   • To move forward, a certain percentage of the workers in the proposed bargaining unit must indicate support. Under the Railway Labor  Act,  at least 50% +1 of all eligible workers must sign union authorization cards as a “showing of interest” before an election petition is accepted.  At TWU we strive for at least 65% of eligible workers to create an overwhelming show of interest.
   • The cards or petitions are confidential — never shown to the employer.
   • Signing a union authorization card does not constitute a vote for the union.  The card only asks the relevant government authority, in this case, the National Mediation Board (NMB) that you are seeking a union election.
2. Filing a Petition with the NMB
   • Once the targeted % of cards are gathered, the union will hand-deliver them directly to the NMB office in Washington, DC.
   • Along with the cards, the union’s legal team submits other required documents (e.g., blank forms for statements of position, descriptions of procedures) and a “showing of interest declaration.”
   • The NMB will review the declaration and all submitted documents by opening an “investigation.”
3. Employer Notice & NMB Processing
   • Once the union authorization cards are accepted, the employer will be notified of the “investigation” and will be required to send over the list of eligible employees along with copies of each worker’s signature for verification.
   • Once the NMB verifies that there at least 50% +1 valid cards in their possession, the NMB will conclude the “investigation” and open a “dispute” whereby an election will be called.
   • The NMB will direct the employer to provide them with all the workers’ home address information in preparation for a USPS mail-in secret ballot election.
   • Any workers hired before the filing of the cards will be allowed to vote provided they are still employed up and until the closing of the vote regardless of whether they signed an authorization card or not.
   • The company will also be obligated to provide the union with the names of those who will be eligible to vote.  The union will monitor and confirm the list throughout the election.
4. Conducting the Election
   • The election is conducted by secret ballot via regular mail.  All ballots will be mailed to the address the employer has on file.  (If your address is not up to date, the NMB will NOT mail your ballot to any other address!)
   • An election voting period notification, sample ballot and other NMB documents must be posted in your workplace.
   • The NMB will usually allow up to a 45-day voting period for workers to return their postage paid, secret ballot.  Workers will be asked to sign an outer envelope for eligibility confirmation.  This outer, signed envelope will be thrown out by the NMB so that only the sealed ballot envelope will be used for the count.
   • The manual counting of the ballots will be conducted at the Washington, DC NMB office where both the union and the company observers will watch the opening of the ballots.
   • The manual counting of the ballots will start immediately after the closing of the election which is usually 2:00pm Est of the last day of voting.
   • A simple majority of ballots cast will determine the outcome of the election.  A tie will result in a union loss as a majority showing of interest was not reached.
   • Should the union not prevail, workers will be barred for one (1) year before being legally allowed to file for another election that will require new signed authorization cards.
5. Certification / Recognition and Obligation to Bargain
   • If the union wins, the NMB certifies it as the exclusive bargaining representative of the workers who sought representation within 24 hours.
   • The employer is legally obliged to bargain in good faith with the certified union.

Have you seen anti-union literature at your worksite?

First of all, We absolutely want you to read and understand what you are signing. If you have questions, please ask them before signing! No one is going to show up at your home uninvited, or text, call, email or write you at inapropriate times. We haven’t yet, we do not plan on starting.

To help understand and present our position and interpretation, we have more information about union-busting activities below and on this link.

Ever wonder what the union-busting playbook looks like from one of the nation’s most notorious union-busting law firms? These are some of the things you could likely see and hear once the company finds out you’re organizing. It’s a scheme to scare you from forming a union. Although the playbook here describes an NLRB organizing scenario, this playbook can also be used in an NMB organizing drive like yours.  Click here.

Want to hear more about union busting? Check out the video produced by APA. Click here. 

If you are worried about bullying, retaliation or adverse job actions – we completely understand. While it is against the law to attempt to coerce, intimidate or prevent an individual or group of employees from exercising their rights to self-organize, we know it does happen. You can read a summary of your rights under the NLRA & RLA here. If you would rather not ask in the open for a card you can email us.  Your name and information will remain confidential and you can be assured we are here and doing this to improve our workplace for our fellow team members as well as the patients we have the privilege of caring for.