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| JOINT UNIFORM COMMITTEE NEWS | ||
Uniform vendor offers promotion in May |
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| Joint Committee Update Published Feb. 12, 2008 NetJets uniform purveyer, Murphy and Hartelius, more commonly referred to as M&H, has added several shirt options for men and women to its website, including offerings from Van Heusen and Elbeco; tall men's shirt are also available. Additionally, a limited quantity of athletic-cut men's shirts, manufactured by M&H, will be available. As a new item, M&H is interested in feedback on its new offering; therefore, please provide feedback using their customer service link. The committee would appreciate a courtesy copy of your feedback, uniforms@ibt1108.org. As a reminder, all pilots are encouraged to order the new winter overcoat as soon as possible. Please contact M&H should you have questions about the appropriate size to order. Any pilot who fails to order the coat by March 31, 2008, should expect to have a coat sent to his or her address of record; the vendor will select a coat size based on your uniform blazer size. Should you have any uniform-related issues or questions, please send them to uniforms@ibt1108.org. |
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| Joint Committee Update Published Oct. 5, 2007 As most of you know by now, a new and improved overcoat is in the manufacturing stage and will be released in the beginning of 2008. It was also communicated that half of the coat cost will be deducted from the pilots' annual uniform allowance in order to offset cost associated with the addition of a removable liner. The Joint Uniform Committee is pleased to inform you that Company Senior Management agreed to withhold two equal installments of $131, one from each of the 2008 and 2009 clothing allowances. Contrary to previous communications, the 2007 allowance will remain untouched. You are encouraged to use the remainder of your 2007 allowance as you see it fit. As per CBA, there will be no rolling over any remaining money from one year to another. Your uniform allowance on January 1, 2008 and 2009 will be $269. Additional improvements and additions to uniform accessories are in the works and detailed communications are forthcoming in the near future. |
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Committee News / 07.08.07 |
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| Joint Uniform Committee announces completion of winter overcoat redesign Published July 8, 2007 The Joint Uniform Committee is pleased to announce a new, more functional overcoat has been designed for the NetJets Aviation, Inc., (NJA) pilot group. Significant time and effort was expended to develop an overcoat design that addresses deficiencies with the current coat and introduces a new level of style and luxury to the pilot uniform. NetJets CEO Richard Santulli took a personal interest in the process of designing a new overcoat, providing a basic design concept and fabric recommendations from which to manufacture the coat as well as choosing luxury textiles partner Loro Piana as overcoat designer and vendor. A thumbnail of the design is provided at left. Based in Italay, Loro Piana has been a leader in the luxury goods industry for six generations, growing to become the largest cashmere manufacturer and the biggest single purchaser of the world’s finest wools. Once vendor selection was completed and based on Santulli’s guidance, the Joint Uniform Committee began its work, taking pains to incorporate pilot feedbackculled from official pilot surveys, unofficial discussions on the road, and personal observations. The group’s goal was to provide a significantly improved garment that addressed three concerns associated with the current overcoat: safety, warmth and waterproofing. Each deficiency is discussed below as well as the way in which the redesigned overcoat will address the issue. (1) Safety Concern Issue: The current overcoat is too long, making it a tripping hazard for pilots. The excessive length also causes the bottom of the coat to become exceedingly soiled by deicing fluid, slush, and mud during, among other duties, preflight inspections. Remedy: The new garment will be a three-quarter length black coat that falls just above the knees. As such, injuries will be avoided and maintaining a clean appearance will be less difficult. (2) Warmth Concern Issue: The current overcoat is insufficiently insulated to protect the wearer against the elements. Remedy: The new overcoat will feature two liners, both of which will be manufactured using recently developed, high tech materials. The first liner will be a part of the coat, providing sufficient warmth for most uses. The second liner, a full, removable, sleeveless option made from the same material, will protect pilots in very cold climates. The overcoat’s outer shell will be made using a weatherproof, wrinkle-resistant synthetic micro fiber called Storm System®, which has been patented by Loro Piana. (3) Waterproofing Concern Issue: The coat becomes soaked in heavy precipitation. Remedy: As previously explained, the outer shell will be constructed of Storm System®, which provides wind, water and wrinkle protection. Because the overcoat is a custom-made item, the estimated rollout time is early 2008. The vendor expects to distribute the garment to all pilots at approximately the same time – at which point, the current blue overcoat will become obsolete. As previously mentioned, significant effort was made to increase garment functionality by including a removable liner. However, this added feature caused the price of the new coat to exceed the cost of the current overcoat. As such, the committee negotiated a payment scheme that would prevent an undue burden from being placed on the individual pilot. The new overcoat costs $525: The company will pay one half or $262.50 of the purchase price, and the crewmember will pay the remaining $262.50 from his or her 2007 and/or 2008 allowances. At the time of distribution, crewmembers who have a remaining 2007 balance of at least $131 will have the payment deducted from his or her 2007 allowance. The second $131 installment will be deducted from the 2008 allowance. Any pilots whose remaining 2007 balance is below $131 will have the entire $262.50 installment deducted from the 2008 allowance. Because the new coat will become a standard uniform piece, purchase is mandatory. Please keep in mind, similar overcoats featured at the nation’s premier–tier department stores retail at more than $1,000. As previously explained, Loro Piana representatives participated in several working group sessions to ensure the final overcoat design was one that met the needs of the NJA pilot group. As a partner in this venture, the vendor will reap the benefit of having its merchandise on display in front of current and prospective customers. Because the overcoat was specifically designed for the NJA pilot group, it will not be featured on the vendor’s website; however, please feel free to visit their website, to view other products or to learn more about the outstanding quality and workmanship Loro Piana offers its customers; the link is provided below. New Uniform Rollout The vast majority of pilots have given the new uniform rollout a passing grade: Indeed, the committee, vendor and Company have received very few complaints – the majority of which the vendor has worked to resolve in a timely manner. However, in some instances, the vendor cannot address the complaint: Due to financial constraints, M&H cannot offer a pant option with front and back pockets to female crewmembers. The vendor has indicated that Skywest pilots and flight attendants have purchased larger sized male pants and had them altered to fit the female form. The annual NJA alteration allowance may be used for this purpose. In response to a multitude of requests, M&H is working on an athletic-cut shirt. However, until the new shirt becomes available, M&H can offer the Elbeco shirt from its Denver warehouse. Although the Elbeco contains embroidered reinforcement for pilot wings, it can be removed with minimal effort and, after a wash or two, the needle holes are not visible. Feel free to contact M&H at (800) 888-9927, to purchase the shirt using your allowance. The committee, NJA Master Executive Council and Company are very excited about the introduction of the new overcoat and are confident it will be a great improvement in form and function. The increased comfort and functionality it offers will greatly enhance each pilots’ ability to work in the outdoor elements. As implementation grows closer, additional updates will be provided. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact the committee with uniform-related comments, questions or complaints at uniforms.nj@ibt1108.org. Sincerely, The Joint Uniform Committee
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