"Huntleigh paying bonuses to former airport workers"

Monday, July 21, 2003

Huntleigh paying bonuses to former airport workers
The Pittsburgh (PA) Business Times


Huntleigh USA Corp. said Monday it will spend $5 million to pay retention
bonuses to former employees who never received checks promised to them by
the federal government.

Huntleigh, based in St. Louis, is a much-diminished provider of airport
security services. At one time, the company served eight major airlines and
several smaller carriers, as well as 47 airports, including Pittsburgh
International.

But in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the
Transportation Security Administration took over most of those operations.

The TSA contracted with Huntleigh and other security providers to stay on
the job until it could set up its own operations. The TSA offered retention
bonuses to 7,400 former Huntleigh employees, the company said, as an
incentive to provide a quality service.

But Huntleigh charges the TSA still has not paid the bonuses despite being
"pushed and prodded." As such, Huntleigh said it would spend more than $5
million of its own money to pay the bonuses to the former workers and seek
reimbursement from the government.

Those former employees, including some 200 who used to work at Pittsburgh
International, are receiving letters explaining the decision, the company
said. It did not specify dollar amounts for the bonuses.

Huntleigh served other airports including Los Angeles International,
LaGuardia and George Bush Intercontinental.

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