NetJets pilots' contract amended and extended

NetJets Aviation (NJA) announced that its pilots, represented by Teamsters Local 1108, had approved a major amendment and extension to their collective bargaining agreement last month. The agreement was reached after six months of negotiations.

A press release issued by the company said that 75.7% of NJA's more than 2,600 pilots had voted in favor of the agreement. Over 95% of the pilots had participated in the referendum.

The press release did not include details of the terms of the agreement, however an article about the amended NetJets contract in Aviation International News (AIN) noted that major provisions of the agreement included increasing the number of crew bases, more schedule options and pay increases.

Here are some details about the pay packages, reported by AIN:

NetJets first officers benefit greatly from the new agreement, with first-year pay climbing from $39,000 to $56,875 a year under the seven-days-on/seven-days-off schedule. This eclipses the previous industry-leading annual salary for new-hire first officers of $40,000 at CitationShares. Lowest on the scale are Flight Options first officers, who earn an average salary of $33,996 per year.

While the first officers got sizeable pay increases, NetJets’ captains fared well too. First-year captain salaries increased from $52,500 to $87,500, a significant step beyond the previous high of $64,000 at CitationShares. Flight Options occupies the lowest end of the scale, with captains starting at $51,996 a year.

Under the new payscale, NetJets first officers top out at $81,081 after year 10. Five-year captains will earn six figures under the new deal.

The agreement, which was signed by both NJA and the pilots union last month, will become amendable in five and a half years, but can be extended for another three years should NetJets meet certain parameters. AIN reports that these include "giving NJA 85 percent of all international flying, maintaining the same level of health care at no cost to pilots, opening 10 additional crew bases and adding cost-of-living adjustments to pay tables each year of the extension."