01:18 PM EDT, 04/03/2024 (MT Newswires) -- (Updates with union comment in third paragraph.)

JetBlue Airways ( JBLU ) unionized pilots notified the carrier they plan to open negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement, the union said Wednesday.

The pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, International, had sought a contract extension with the airline when the company was pursuing a merger with Spirit Airlines.

Wth the merger abandoned last month, "we now expect the company to come to the bargaining table prepared to negotiate terms on pay and working conditions in line with the standards and direction of the industry," Justin Houck, head of the JetBlue ALPA Master Executive Council, said in a statement.

JetBlue ( JBLU ) did not immediately reply to a request for comment by MT Newswires.

Shares of the company fell 1.8% in recent Wednesday trading.

Price: 6.77, Change: -0.13, Percent Change: -1.81