Airport Service Workers Launch Effort to Improve Jobs, Services and Security at California’s Airports

Airport service workers, elected leaders, community leaders, seniors, passenger rights and disability rights advocates gathered at LAX and SFO April 9 to launch a statewide effort to improve quality jobs, service and security at California’s top airports. There are an estimated 20,000 airline service workers in the state, with one-quarter facing contract expiration dates this summer.

“The airlines can do a lot better to improve services to their airline passengers and airport security, while at the same time make these good jobs for our families and our communities,” said Fanny Fuentes, who provides wheelchair assistance to passengers with disabilities and seniors. Fuentes, like most airport service workers, earns only $9.71 an hour and has no adequate individual or family healthcare. She is sometimes forced to use broken wheelchairs, and has been asked to push more than one passenger at a time, putting passengers at risk.

Some airports have more than 40 contractors servicing of airlines including security officers, wheelchair assistance, sky caps, baggage handlers, cabin cleaners, janitors, ramp and cargo crews—without adequate oversight or accountability on critical matters such as training, equipment, security clearances, identification badges or access to restricted areas of the airport.

“The failure of the airlines to establish professional standards among airport service work has created a race to the bottom and fuels a turnover rate rivaling that of the fast-food industry, sending quality jobs, services and security into a tailspin,” said Mike Garcia, President of SEIU Local 1877, the airport service workers’ union.

Crisis in Airline Service Industry

Low wages and lack of healthcare are driving a turnover rate among airport service workers that is as high as 50 percent per year in some jobs negatively impacting service and security at CA airports.

Statewide, airport service workers such as security officers, janitors, passenger service workers, cabin cleaners, ramp and cargo crew, on average, earn less than an estimated statewide average of $10.50 an hour, with some earning as low as $8 an hour, putting them well below what the Economic Policy Institute says it takes for a family of four to survive in California, or $54,000.

Some airport service workers earn as little as $8 an hour with no access to healthcare for themselves or their families. High turnover in the industry prevent security officers and other passenger service workers from getting the experience and training they need to adequately protect and provide quality services to airline passengers.

The U.S. Department of Transportation received 13,766 complaints in 2006, the last year for which figures are available, against American, United, Southwest and other airlines from seniors and passengers with disabilities who report they are not receiving adequate, safe assistance when traveling with the airlines. Airlines are required to provide prompt and proper explaining and deplaning assistance for those with mobility impairments, and to ensure that their wheelchairs or other assistive devices are not damaged during flights, according to the AirCarrier Access Act.

“The airlines need to ensure that passenger service workers are getting the training they need to do their jobs effectively,” said Lillibeth Navarro, Executive Director of Communities Actively Living Independent & Free (CALIF) who spoke at LAX. “The airlines also need to ensure that these workers are getting good pay and health benefits, so that they can afford to stay at their jobs and build off of their experiences to provide quality service for passengers, particularly those of us with special needs.”

For the first time ever, airport service workers united in SEIU Local 1877 aim to negotiate master agreements to cover 5,000 subcontracted airline service workers at the L.A., San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland airports. Current contracts covering airport service workers are set to expire this summer. The airport service workers union, SEIU, is currently in, or will soon begin, negotiations with subcontractors that service American, United, Southwest and other airlines including ABM, Aero Port Services, Air Serv, ASIG, Aviation Safeguards, G2, Lee’s Maintenance, One Source, Primeflight, Secure Staff, Service Performance Company, and World Service West. These subcontractors service a majority of the security, janitorial and passenger service work at LAX, SFO, SJC and OAK.

Community leaders, passenger rights advocates and airport service workers participated in delegations to American Airlines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines at LAX and SFO, urging the airlines to “get on board” with the efforts to improve standards. San Mateo County Central Labor Council Executive Secretary-Treasurer Shelley Kessler spoke st the SFO rally.

SEIU USW West’s Airport Workers United represents 2,000 passenger service workers as well as security screeners, baggage handlers and other service workers at SFO and more than 4,000 airport service workers throughout California. Statewide, an estimated 10,000 airport service workers will be fighting for union contracts with family healthcare, living wages, and improved working conditions this summer.

For more information, check http://www.seiu-usww.org/campaigns/airportworkersunited/Default.aspx