Workers at LaGuardia Airport Demand Heat Protections Amid Rising Temps
It was a sweltering 95 degrees at the tarmac at LaGuardia Airport on July 8, 2024, but for Garvey Barrett, a 68-year-old Jamaican baggage handler for Alliance Ground International, it felt more like the top of a griddle.
A tarmac’s dark pavement absorbs and radiates heat…
That day, Barrett demanded that his manager at Alliance Ground International (AGI) provide him and his coworkers with water…
Now, the union fighting to unionize workers like Barrett is also pushing legislation to protect workers like him from extreme heat.
On Nov. 20, 2024, Barrett, with the assistance of the union 32BJ SEIU, filed an unfair labor practice charge against AGI with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for allegedly suspending him when he asked his manager to be provided water during his shift…
…the union is pushing for the passage of the TEMP Act, a bill that would create temperature protections for worksites across the state….
Sarah Andrews, vice president of marketing, communications, & government relations for AGI, denied Barrett’s and the unions’ claims when Documented asked for their response to the accusations. …
…Owned by investment firms Audax Private Equity and Greenbriar Equity Group, AGI touts itself as one of the fastest-growing ground handling companies in North America. ..