Letter to Gerald Arpey, President and CEO of American Airlines
April 9, 2008
Mr. Gerard Arpey
Chairman, President and CEO
American Airlines
P.O. Box 619616, MD 5651
Dallas, TX 75261
Dear Mr. Arpey,
Since our earlier requests to meet with American Airlines have seemingly gone unnoticed, we’re coming to you today with your personalized boarding pass, urging you to get on board with cooperative efforts to improve quality jobs, services and security in California’s top airports.
We’ve reserved your seat at the table to discuss solutions to the crisis in the airline service industry, but you need to confirm your participation so that efforts to raise standards can take off. American Airlines passengers deserve quality services and security just as our communities deserve good jobs you can raise a family on. On behalf of American Airlines passengers and 20,000 airport service workers in California, we urge American Airlines to get on board!
CRISIS IN AIRLINE SERVICE INDUSTRY
As you are well aware, some airports have more than 40 contractors servicing 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.
Low wages and lack of healthcare are driving a turnover rate among airport service workers that is an estimated 50%, negatively impacting service and security at California airports. Statewide, airport service workers such as security officers, janitors, passenger service workers, cabin cleaners, ramp and cargo crew earn on average $10.50 an hour, 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 prevents 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.
UPCOMING CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS
For the first time ever, airport service workers united in Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1877 aim to negotiate master agreements to cover 5,000 subcontracted airline service workers at LAX, SFO, SJC, and OAK. Current contracts are set to expire this summer.
SEIU has a proven track record of working cooperatively with responsible contractors and their clients to raise standards across an entire market without putting any one contractor at an economic disadvantage. Contractors then compete on their quality of service, not on the lowest bid. Rather than each airline and each contractor agreeing to a different standard for workers, these “master contracts” ensure uniformity of standards across the airport and can rapidly improve the quality of jobs, services and security.
American Airlines must participate in cooperative discussions to create these master contracts and achieve necessary improvements. Today, we formally request that American Airlines take the necessary steps to:
* Communicate directly with your contractors that American Airlines supports efforts to raise standards for airport service workers, using the master contract model to achieve these goals.
* Participate in meetings between the airport service workers’ union, SEIU, other airlines and contractors to cooperatively raise standards and prevent labor disruptions as contract expirations approach.
AIRLINES RESPONSIBILITY
Many believe it is the responsibility of American Airlines to ensure that American Airlines passengers receive the level of service, security and safety that they deserve. Toward that goal, it is also American Airlines’ responsibility to stabilize the crisis in the airport service industry by agreeing to work with responsible contractors to lower turnover by providing decent wages and family healthcare to airport service workers.
Today, we would like to reiterate our request to meet with American Airlines to discuss these issues. We believe that we can and should forge a partnership to work together to raise standards for workers and passengers alike.
To confirm your seat at the table to discuss cooperative solutions, or to schedule a pre-meeting, please contact Mr. Brian Rudiger, SEIU Local 1877 Airport Workers United Campaign Coordinator at (213) 673-2256.
Sincerely,
SEIU Airport Workers United