Logan workers stage walkout

One-day protest taken by Swissport cabin cleaners, ramp workers

A group of ramp workers and cabin cleaners at Logan Airport staged a one-day strike Friday to protest what they say are retaliatory actions taken by their employer, Swissport USA, as the workers organize a union.

Swissport management has reduced workers’ hours, issued warnings, and mocked their organizing efforts, according to 32BJ SEIU, the union the workers are seeking to join.

One manager brandished a blank piece of paper and said, “This is what you will get with the union,” according to cabin cleaner Rosa Sanchez.

Swissport USA, based in Raleigh, N.C., said in a statement that the health and safety of its employees is the company’s highest priority. “Contrary to these claims,” the company said, “Swissport fully complies with all applicable labor regulations, and provides competitive wages and benefits. In all the cities in which we operate in the United States, Swissport fully complies with operating permit requirements.”

The company employs about 400 workers at Logan Airport, where cabin cleaners and ramp workers make between $18 and $20 an hour, according to SEIU 32BJ.

The Massachusetts Port Authority, which runs Logan, said that there were no operational issues on Friday. The union had expected a few dozen workers to participate but didn’t provide a final count.

The action comes on the heels of a similar walkout by Swissport employees at LaGuardia Airport Thursday as airport workers across the country escalate their campaign for better conditions. Airport workers and union organizers are calling on Congress to support the Good Jobs for Good Airports Act, sponsored by Sen. Edward Markey of Massachusetts, that establishes a minimum wage and benefit standard for all airports.