"Refuelers at JFK walk off job as holiday exodus starts"

Friday, July 1, 2005

Kennedy refuelers walk out on Fourth of July weekend as travelers descend on
airport
By VERENA DOBNIK
The Associated Press


NEW YORK -- About 300 airport workers who refuel airplanes at Kennedy
International Airport walked out Friday, hours before the start of the
Fourth of July holiday weekend that's one of the busiest travel times of the
year. 

The striking members of Teamsters Local 553 were replaced by 130 employees
of Allied Aviation Services, a New York-based international company that
fuels planes at Kennedy. Allied brought in the replacement workers from
Texas, California, Missouri and New Jersey. 
 
"They're going to work round the clock," said Allied spokeswoman Jayne
Cardascia. "These are supervisors and managers who trained the usual
refuelers, and they're dedicated. But we have some who have never been to
New York, so it'll take a little time for them to get their bearings." 

As of Friday afternoon, operations at Kennedy appeared to be normal, said
Pasquale DiFulco, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New
Jersey, which operates the airport. 

Workers formed two picket lines _ one at the airport's main Building 90, the
other at a fuel storage facility. 

The last time Local 553 refuelers went on strike at Kennedy was in 1996, and
that walkout was settled within 10 days with no major disruption of plane
fueling. 

Jack Dresch, president of Local 553, said the replacement workers "are not
skilled like my men are. I've heard they've had two spills already." 

The workers' three-year contract expired at midnight Thursday, and the two
sides last met earlier in the week. 

Allied officials have contacted the union by letter and fax, requesting
negotiations, Cardascia said. She said no meeting had been scheduled as of
Friday. "The ball is in their court," she said. 

Dresch said he did not know when the two sides would talk again. 

The main sticking points are salaries, health benefits and pensions. 

Union members now receive health care without having to contribute from
their wages. Allied is asking them to start paying 4 percent of their
salaries toward the benefits in the first year of the new contract, then 8
in the second and 15 in the third. 

With an Allied offer of a 2 percent salary raise, the health care
contributions would effectively translate into salary cuts in the proposed
new contract, Dresch said. 

Leigh Strope, speaking for the Teamsters from their Washington headquarters,
added: "Our members have put in long hours and have been dedicated to this
company. They basically received a $1 an hour raise in the past 11 years." 

Regarding pensions, retired workers now get monthly payments of $19 to $43
for each year they worked for Allied, Dresch said.


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