Airport ground workers rally over alleged safety concerns at JFK and LaGuardia
Ground workers, employed by Alliance Ground International (AGI) at John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport, are accusing their employer of ignoring serious safety concerns and failing to properly train employees.
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Ground workers, employed by Alliance Ground International (AGI) at John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport, are accusing their employer of ignoring serious safety concerns and failing to properly train employees.
Workers say they are being forced to work with old and malfunctioning equipment in cargo hangers and on the tarmac.
“Every single day I come to work wondering if I'm going to make it home safe at the end of my shift,” said John Mosquera, an AGI ramp agent at LaGuardia.
Workers alleged some equipment shuts down unexpectedly, and emergency brakes, horns and lights on certain vehicles do not work properly.
“We have these big tugs that move the airplanes,” said Manny Pastreich, president of 32BJ SEIU. “These tugs weigh over a ton, are rolling because the emergency brakes aren't working. So these are real allegations that are life and death.”
AGI provides ground handling services for major airlines, including Delta, American Airlines and Southwest across 62 airports. The company employs about 700 ground workers at JFK and LaGuardia airports.
Some workers also alleged they have been denied bathroom and meal breaks and have been injured while on the job.
Earlier this month, AGI workers filed a formal complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) over workplace safety concerns.
In a statement to News 12, Drew Kofeldt, chief safety officer at AGI, said the company "takes all safety and regulatory matters seriously. We will fully investigate and respond to any OSHA inquiries we receive.”
Kofeldt added that the company maintains “a robust Safety Management System certified under the IATA ISAGO framework” and has dedicated safety personnel at JFK and LaGuardia, along with regional safety oversight.
He also said AGI has active health and safety committees at both airports, a preventative maintenance program for ground support equipment, and a comprehensive employee training program that includes classroom instruction, hands-on training and recurrent training sessions.
Kofeldt said AGI provides all required personal protective equipment to employees and that both JFK and LaGuardia stations are fully compliant with OSHA recordkeeping, posting and reporting requirements.
