Cabin cleaners and ramp staff at Logan International Airport rallied Friday to protest what they stated had been unfair labor practices of intimidation and retaliation by their dad or mum firm, Swissport USA.
The strike comes as an SEIU 32BJ official says Attorney General Andrea Campbell’s workplace is investigating the Switzerland-based outfit. The legal professional common’s workplace acquired greater than 20 complaints in opposition to Swissport during the last 5 years together with for allegations of non-payment of wages, in line with public information.
A spokesperson for Campbell stated the workplace can not verify or deny any ongoing investigations.
A gaggle of roughly 20 Swissport staff gathered in entrance of the state transportation constructing in downtown Boston the place they accused Swissport USA managers of lowering work hours and handing out warnings for collaborating in union-related enterprise at their office.
Some staff stated they had been “mocked” by administration for making an attempt to unionize with the Service Employees International Union.
Tiffany Perkins-Sullivan has labored for Swissport USA for eight months, dealing with every part beneath planes from wing strolling to baggage and fueling to pushing planes off gates. She stated the corporate doesn’t “really like us speaking up … about what goes on there.”
“They will try to intimidate you and make you feel like you might lose your job if you do,” Perkins-Sullivan informed the Herald.
Perkins-Sullivan stated she usually works with defective gear, handled favoritism, lack of coaching, and has skilled “wage theft,” or situations the place she stated she was not paid for all of the hours she labored.
“The equipment that we use, a bunch of them doesn’t work,” Perkins-Sullivan stated. “There’s something, at least one thing wrong with each of the things that we drive, which is unsafe because we’re on the road a lot. So for example, there wouldn’t be a windshield wiper, headlights, simple necessities that we would need … on the tarmac to just simply do our job correctly and safely.”
A Swissport spokesperson stated the well being and security of all their staff is “the highest priority.” The firm employs roughly 500 staff of their floor dealing with enterprise at Logan, which serves 18 airways, in line with the spokesperson.
“Contrary to these claims, Swissport fully complies with all applicable labor regulations, and provides competitive wages and benefits,” the corporate stated in an announcement to the Herald. “In all the cities in which we operate in the United States, Swissport fully complies with operating permit requirements.”
The strike in Boston got here a day after Swissport staff in New York walked off the job to protest unsafe working circumstances, gear points, and what they stated was retaliation in opposition to organizing.
Roxana Rivera, assistant to the president of SEIU 32BJ, stated staff in Boston are within the technique of unionizing with SEIU 32BJ. And Swissport USA, Rivera stated, has retaliated in opposition to staff for talking about points on the office.
By the top of Friday, Rivera stated a majority of the 100 Swissport USA staff at Logan can have walked off the job. Workers additionally went on strike in December, Rivera stated.
“The conditions of work here at Boston Logan Airport are not much different than other places, like the LaGuardia Airport and Dulles [International Airport],” Rivera stated.
A Massachusetts Port Authority spokesperson stated the airport takes all complaints by staff inside Logan “seriously.” The strike didn’t have an effect on operations on the airport, the spokesperson stated.
“Our staff regularly meets with labor, tenants and employees to discuss issues and concerns involving the companies that provide services to airlines operating at Logan,” the spokesperson stated.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”