Air Dispatchers and dispatch-related workers at JetBlue Airways voted Thursday to join the Transport Workers Union of America, the latest group of JetBlue workers to join the largest union of airline workers in the country.
JetBlue Dispatch workers voted to unionize after years of broken promises from management – a strong rejection of JetBlue’s “at-will employment agreements” that apply to all the non-union workers at the airline. Dispatch workers were recently told they would not get a raise in 2026, even though they are normally eligible for raises once every two years.
“JetBlue Dispatch workers sent a strong message to the bosses, they are done with worthless at-will employment agreements that only serve management’s interests,” TWU International President John Samuelsen said. “We are continuing our industrial organizing at JetBlue and will now fight for a first contract that delivers better pay and working conditions. JetBlue’s employment agreements and phony values committees aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on.”
In recent months, JetBlue management also changed working conditions for Dispatch workers, requiring all current System Controllers to get dispatcher licenses previously not required for their employment. All of the Dispatch-related workers who voted to join the TWU work out of JetBlue headquarters in Long Island City, NY.
“JetBlue Dispatcher workers, just like InFlight Crewmembers, Flight Instructors and Pilots, realized that JetBlue’s ‘at-will employment agreements’ are nothing more than a facade to keep workers from making real economic gains. As their company-controlled ‘values committee’ disbands, a worker-elected Negotiating Team will be formed and a demand for real negotiations will commence,” said TWU Organizing Director Angelo Cucuzza. “JetBlue Dispatchers saw the joining the TWU as the best path forward for navigating a rapidly evolving and changing airline industry.”
The New York-based JetBlue Dispatchers join the growing ranks of TWU Flight Dispatchers across the country. The TWU currently represents Flight Dispatchers at Air Wisconsin, Alaska-Hawaiian Airlines, Avelo Airlines, Breeze Airways, Envoy Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Horizon Airlines, Kalitta Airlines, Omni Airlines, PSA Airlines, Republic Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Sun Country Airlines and UPS Airlines.