Julio Topete, LAX Passenger Service Worker
Julio
Topete, 56, has worked at the Los
Angeles International
Airport for two years as
an aircraft cabin search crewmember for APS.
With over $3,000 a month in bills, groceries and doctor visits, Julio
struggles to makes ends meet on his meager wages.
Julio
knows his job is an important part in the increased security measures enacted
after 9/11, but Julio and his coworkers do not receive the training or search
equipment they need to ensure passenger safety.
“My
main concern is that cabin searches are being performed without the least bit
of attention to airplane security.”
Teams
of cabin search crewmembers check the airplane making sure all life vests and
other safety equipment is in place, while also ensuring no life-threatening
materials have made its way onto an aircraft.
“We
have never received bomb training or any equipment to search for dangerous
items. We don’t know what we’re looking for which really worries me.”
Cabin
search crewmembers must sign-off ensuring they were the only ones on the plane
and adequately checked the aircraft. Julio says that rarely happens.
“A
lot of times the flight crew will come on board during our cabin search and cut
our cabin check time down by half. This is a huge violation of safety procedures.”
While
safety is Julio’s main concern, he also sees other areas of passenger service
neglected.
“There
is a new terminal area that often floods. I have seen passenger’s bags in
standing water. I don’t think the airlines care about the passengers at all.”
Julio
is standing up with his coworkers for quality services and passenger safety at
LAX.
For more
information call Mike Chavez at
(213) 284-7773 or (562) 644-0798 or visit www.seiu-usww.org