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)

CARE FLIGHT MEDICAL PROVIDERS

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!

You can also share contact information here so that we can keep you up to date!

This page serves as a one-stop shop for all Care Flight Crew questions.

Questions will be answered within 24 hours.

Member questions:

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

1. What do we like about TWU?

   • The Transport Worker’s Union (TWU) has a long history representing a wide range of workers and has been responsive and supportive throughout this process. Their organizers have been accessible, professional, and willing to help without imposing conditions that would exclude or diminish any group within our prospective bargaining unit. TWU also has experience negotiating with large, complex employers and sustaining long-term representation.

2. What about a Strike?

   • A strike is not our goal and is not part of our plan. We provide critical services, and our focus is improving pay, benefits, working conditions, and long-term program stability through negotiations, not disruption. Also, a strike is never a single person’s decision. It would require a democratic vote of the membership and would only occur after significant legal, procedural, and bargaining steps.

3. How do we influence negotiations without a strike?
   • The TWU has been incredibly effective at negotiating with tough employers.  Throughout the years, TWU has only needed to resort to a strike in extremely rare instances.  By employing strategic, escalating tactics that are well thought out, TWU packs the punch to get deals done.  TWU’s communications team, government affairs team, and organizing team will work collectively with their researcher staff to uncover all that the employer is attempting to hide while at the bargaining table.  The TWU’s approach, since its inception, is to fight for what workers deserve and use the threat of a strike effectively and rationally.
4. What are dues?

   • Generally, dues are equivalent to 2 hours of work at your BASE PAY per month. This is a very reasonable rate, and if you click here, you can read more in-depth about dues and the benefits that brings! There is also NO initiation fee, and dues will not be collected until there is a CBA in place.

5. Are my dues tax-deductible?

   • To the best of our knowledge, they are not deductible on federal taxes, but some states do allow a deduction or credit. Please consult your financial planner to be certain.

6. Will my dues pay for political activities?

   • No, none of the dues paid towards our future Local of the TWU would be directed towards political activities. If you chose to donate to a political cause on behalf or with the Union, you can – but it is not required or expected.

7. Can we change unions?

   • Absolutely! If we change our minds or decide to go in a different direction, we are not required to stay with this organization forever. The process is the same as what we are going through now, except we would be voting/petitioning to decertify the Union.  The NMB will allow a decertification after two years from the date of certification

8. What else will the union do?

   • That’s a pretty broad question, and we can’t actually answer that. When you look at the Why? we have posted, that is just our preliminary ideas. The Union Leadership will do what the membership votes on and directs them to do, to the best of their ability. The what else all depends on you!

9. What if my boss says the first person to sign a union card is fired?

   • Well, not only is that a pretty terrible way to treat a subordinate, but it is also illegal. “…It shall be an unfair labor practice for an employer to interfere with, restrain, or coerce employees in the exercise of the rights guaranteed in section 157 of this title…” 29 U.S. Code § 158 Chapter 7 NLRA. More information on protected activities can be found here. For our campaign’s purposes, please refer to the section related to the “Railway Labor Act,” as we would be covered under that particular representation aspect as administered by the National Mediation Board (NMB). At this point in the process, we are actively working as a group of concerned and dedicated peers to improve our pay, benefits, and working conditions. We can talk about this openly. Despite that, let’s not poke the bear. Perform your duties as efficiently as always, check and double-check to make sure everything has been done. If a member of leadership threatens adverse employment actions, termination or bullying you need to document as much detail as possible about the situation and what was said, inform them that you believe this is an unfair labor practice, and contact one of us as soon as possible so that we can have those who are trained and educated to deal with these situations address it.

10. Knowing that REMSA leadership tends to have knee jerk emotional reactions. What do you think the potential initial backlash will look like?

    • When workers begin organizing a union—especially in organizations where leadership has historically reacted emotionally—the initial backlash is usually predictable.

      We should expect management to respond quickly and defensively. This often includes strong messaging framing the union as a “third party,” suggesting it will damage teamwork, flexibility, or the organization’s finances. Leadership may suddenly become more visible and communicative, holding mandatory meetings or issuing emails to push their narrative before workers can talk among themselves.

      There may also be attempts to sow doubt or division, such as highlighting worst-case scenarios, questioning organizers’ motives, or implying that supporters are misinformed or acting out of self-interest. In some cases, leadership reacts by making short-term promises or policy changes to discourage momentum, without committing to lasting structural improvements.

      We should also be prepared for emotional reactions—anger, dismissiveness, or a tendency to personalize the effort—rather than engaging with the actual issues driving workers to organize. That reaction, while uncomfortable, is often a sign that the effort is being taken seriously.

      The key point is that this backlash is neither unusual nor a reflection of wrongdoing by workers. It’s a common response when employees begin asserting collective power. Staying calm, informed, and focused on the shared goals of fairness, safety, and a voice at work is the most effective way to navigate it.

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.

Response to Management       Union Busting

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.