The only time I have seen in the airline industry where you did not have to join a union is when the IBT and US Airways (Allegheny at the time) cut a deal with each other to not have a vote if the cities of BOS BUF PIT PHL could be union and the rest of the systems be non-union. Then the US-PI-PSA merge and the NMB rule to have a vote. PI agents thought PI management was great and a union was not needed a vote was taken and no 50+1% WELL WELL a lot changed with PSA and US management in the picture and IAM and Related went on strike and every employee group being represented except the agent group. The union groups got raises kept their pension and had no layoff provisions and enjoyed favorable benefits and work rules. The agent group got frozen pay and cut benefits and changed work rules and every thing else that goes with EMPLOYED AT WILL .The agent group had a lot to do with keeping the airline going in the late 80’s into the 90’s.I only hope the agent group(S) at US/HP now get the picture. Management will try to wear us down because we are the new kid’s on the block. A lot of young I just want the flying benefits agents around that scare the union leaders. A vote would be very risky.