More than 1,000 security officers, baggage handlers and
wheelchair attendants plan to walk off the job for 24 hours at New
York City's John F. Kennedy and La Guardia Airports, workers and
union officials announced Tuesday.
The action has been brought by airport workers for Delta
subcontractor Aviation Safeguards, said officials with Service
Employees International Union Local 32BJ.
Workers said they will start walking off the job at 10 p.m.
Wednesday and will picket and hold rallies at JFK and La Guardia
airports throughout the 24-hour period.
Hector Figueroa, 32BJ's president, said the workers are
attempting to form a recognized union and "have not yet won
recognition of their bargaining status."
"They have expressed that they want 32BJ as their representative
and obviously we support that," he said.
Craig Coy, chief executive officer of Command Security
Corporation and its subsidiary Aviation Safeguards, said the
company believes the workers haven't followed proper procedures to
organize.
"Our view is the employees should have the legal right to choose
rather than have it forced on them," he said.
In a statement, the Port Authority said it had taken significant
steps in recent years to encourage wage and benefit increases for
employees of airline contractors at its airports and "will work to
avoid disruptions of airline operations at PA airports."
American Airlines Group Inc. said that it wasn't anticipating
disruptions. A Delta Air Lines Inc. spokeswoman said the company
"for now" will defer comment to the Port Authority.
—Susan Carey contributed to this article
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