Union employees at Newark Airport objected to United Airlines’ intention to switch contractors, claiming it would require them to reapply for jobs, lose benefits, seniority, and even full-time employment.
Members of the Service Employees International Union’s Local 32BJ, which represents lift truck drivers and airliner cleaners, greeted travelers at Terminal C on Thursday. They held posters and made statements about how the move might negatively impact their health, seniority, and other benefits.
Only 20% of the 600 airplane cleaners and lift truck drivers may be offered full-time positions as a result of the switch from Prospect Cleaning Services to United Ground Express, United’s wholly owned subsidiary contractor, according to union officials. According to union officials, the remaining 80% would be provided part-time jobs that would last 15 hours per week.
According to 32BJ vice president Ana Maria Hill, United Airlines is using a contractor who will hurt our neighbors, despite the fact that the airline earns millions of dollars from passengers from New Jersey arriving at and departing from Newark Airport.
She displayed a petition stating that 70% of the airport union employees had signed, stating that they wanted to maintain their jobs, seniority, and benefits. According to her, airline officials will be shown it.
Additionally, the union argues that the change will eliminate free immigration legal services, including deportation defense, and employer-sponsored health care.
According to Anthony Fleet, a United spokesperson, United will transfer aircraft cleaning at Newark to United Ground Express (UGE) in October.
According to the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers (IAM), UGE has already sent conditional employment offers to all potential candidates for full-time and part-time positions paying more than $25 per hour.
According to him, UGE is collaborating closely with Prospect on this change, and they have been in contact with Prospect staff members to ensure they are aware of their alternatives. He stated that these are IAM-covered jobs, which naturally include health care.
However, other union employees said that the hiring process has been chaotic and that they will lose years, even decades, of seniority.
According to Shawn Hayes of Kearny, he has worked for several contractors at the airport for 25 years.
I’ll need to find another employment if they offer me a part-time position. He said that people’s seniority was being revoked. We contribute to the company by working on numerous large aircraft. Justice is what we’ll fight for.
According to Hayes, he operates a truck that transports aircraft to locations for maintenance.
He claimed that we had not been informed that we must reapply for our jobs when the interview process begins.
According to Hill, reducing full-time employees to part-time hours would result in a 60% reduction in their revenue.
According to Hill, UGE, United’s wholly-owned contractor, does not provide health insurance to its workers without charging a monthly co-premium. It lacks the benefits of legal services that 32BJ members enjoy, many of whom are in dire need of immigration-related legal aid.
“United’s statement does not dispute any of these cuts,” she said.
United asserts that UGE has extended employment offers to all workers; nonetheless, she added that despite New Jersey’s Service Worker Retention statute, UGE rejected the applications of a number of workers without providing a valid reason.
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