Employees at the John F. Kennedy (JFK) Airport in Queens are scheduled to go on strike Friday, New York Post reported.
Workers responsible for refueling planes at JFK Airport are set to strike, coinciding with the start of the busy Memorial Day weekend, according to the New York Post. This could potentially cause significant disruptions for travelers. The strike involves 300 members of Teamsters Local 553, which includes workers and mechanics who service both commercial and cargo jets at JFK. The union has been at an impasse with Allied Aviation Services, the private company contracted for these services.
JFK airport workers who refuel planes plan strike in Memorial Day weekend showdown https://t.co/vnc7LwoFNd pic.twitter.com/eOmVZD4u2h
— New York Post (@nypost) May 23, 2024
The labor dispute at Teamsters Local 553 began after their collective bargaining agreement expired on June 30, 2023. The union, which last struck in 2005 over compensation and healthcare issues, is now embroiled in contract talks, the outlet reported. Allied Aviation is reportedly demanding that the union forfeit its strike rights for future agreements, a condition the union rejects. (RELATED: Asian Airports Knock JFK Off List Of Busiest Ports)
“We have been without a contract for almost a year, and Allied Aviation has not been negotiating in good faith since they are conditioning any new contract on our forfeiting our right to strike and fight for our members in the future. That is simply a non-starter for us,” Demos Demopoulos, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 553, said in a statement, New York Post reported. “We will never give up the right to strike and fight for our members, a right granted to us by the National Labor Relations Act.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 23: Travelers walk with their luggage at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) on December 23, 2023 in New York, New York. (Photo by Jeenah Moon/Getty Images)
In previous disputes, such as at Newark Airport, the union successfully resisted similar demands. With JFK Airport serving as a major hub, especially during holidays, a potential strike presents a significant challenge, New York Post reported. Seth Stein, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which manages JFK, said they are coordinating with airport partners to minimize disruptions.
“We will work closely with our airport partners to minimize any disruptions over this busy holiday travel weekend. We have no involvement in negotiations between our contractor and their unionized staff,” Stein said, according to New York Post.