US ground handler Alliance Ground International (AGI) has filed a lawsuit and motion for preliminary injunction against the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) due to what it said was “false and misleading statements” about airport working conditions “directed at AGI’s customers and other stakeholders”.
The lawsuit follows the opening of a federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) investigation after an OSHA complaint was made against the US airport services provider and ground handler by the SEIU on behalf of AGI workers at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport who had raised concerns about working conditions.
Local 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union alleges that workers have experienced incidents of heat-related illness as well as malfunctioning brakes on vehicles, past worksite injuries, vehicles in unsafe operating conditions, unsafe working conditions, no mirrors on some vehicles, and insufficient training.
However, AGI claimed that the SEIU has engaged in an organised campaign of false and misleading statements directed at AGI’s customers and other stakeholders to damage AGI’s customer relationships in order to pressure the company into bypassing the right of employees to decide for themselves whether they wish to be represented by a union.
AGI stated in its complaint document: “This action arises from a deliberate, unjustified, and unlawful campaign waged by Defendants, the massive national labour union SEIU and its Northeastern US affiliate Local 32BJ,
to target AGI and its customer relationships to pressure AGI – a Miami-based company that provides services to the aviation industry and employs thousands of South Floridians – into recognising the union outside the traditional employee decision-making process and without giving AGI employees the opportunity to vote on whether they wish to be represented.
“Defendants, headquartered thousands of miles away, have come to Miami and other locations and targeted AGI
and its customer relationships with the purpose of coercing AGI’s business partners into severing ties with AGI, inflicting severe economic harm on AGI, until AGI acquiesces and offers up its workers to Defendants for quick unionisation without a vote by the workers themselves.
“While doing this under the guise of concern for worker conditions, the reality is Defendants are waging a campaign built on misleading information, that is costing AGI substantial business, and which may quickly result in downsizing AGI’s South Florida workforce and ultimately harming its employees, the Miami community it serves and locations elsewhere.”
AGI said it had invested millions of dollars in worker safety programmes and training and holds IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO) certification.
The handler employs roughly 600 cargo warehouse agents, cargo ramp agents, cargo office agents, and security officers at John F. Kennedy and 60 ramp agents, ticket agents, cargo warehouse agents, and cargo office agents at LaGuardia.
Airlines serviced by AGI at John F. Kennedy include Delta Airlines, KLM, Virgin Airlines, Latam, China Southern, and AirZeta. Airline serviced by AGI at LaGuardia includes Southwest and American Airlines.
Manny Pastreich, president, 32BJ SEIU, said: “For more than a year, essential airport workers at JFK and LGA have been raising the alarm about dangerous working conditions under AGI.
“Two separate reports of workers passing out in the heat is unacceptable. Facing retaliation after asking for water on one of the hottest days of the year is unacceptable.
“Now that summer is here and the heat is on, the concerns of AGI’s workers are even more pressing. We welcome a thorough investigation by OSHA into the working conditions under AGI at JFK and LGA airports. 32BJ is proud to stand with AGI’s workers in demanding dignity, safety, and respect on the job.”
Headquartered in Miami, AGI operates in over 60 airports in North America and employs more than 12,000 professionals. In March, investment firm Lone Star completed its takeover of the handler.
