Pilots at Flexjet and Flight Options have narrowly voted in favor of representation by the International Local Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT). Polls closed on the election yesterday following a three-week voting period. A little more than 51 percent of the 644 pilots who voted (330) voted for representation. Approval is decided by a simple majority of the votes. A total of 663 pilots were eligible to vote.

The National Mediation Board (NMB) opened the polls on November 24 after the agency issued a ruling in September that recognized Flight Options and Flexjet as a single carrier. The IBT had asked for the ruling as it sought to organize the Flexjet pilots as one group with the nearly 380 Flight Options pilots it already represented.

The Teamsters Local 1108 in Richmond Heights, Ohio, will represent the combined Flexjet and Flight Options pilots.

"It's a great day for these pilots," said Capt. Efrem Vojta, president of Local 1108. "They've faced significant pushback from management during this campaign and we are proud of them for sticking together despite these obstacles."

Flexjet chairman Kenn Ricci had encouraged the pilots to vote, telling them in a letter that the election is an opportunity to establish the culture of the company going forward, as well as an opportunity for Flight Options pilots “to re-establish a direct relationship with the company.”