Over 150 Sea-Tac aircraft fuelers vote ‘overwhelmingly’ to authorize strike

More than 150 union Seattle-Tacoma (Sea-Tac) International aircraft fuelers have voted “overwhelmingly” to authorize a strike against Swissport, Teamsters Local 174 confirmed via a news release Tuesday.

The union wrote the strike could bring air travel at Sea-Tac to a “standstill,” but Perry Cooper, spokesperson for the Port of Seattle, told KIRO Newsradio this is not the case. He said Swissport, a company that provides airport ground services, has plans to avoid disruptions.

The union aircraft fuelers work with major airlines including Alaska, American, Delta, and United.

“Swissport’s greed has forced our members to take action,” Rick Hicks, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 174 and Teamsters Western Region International Vice President, said via the news release. “Our members perform dangerous, physically demanding work, and Swissport’s success was built on their backs. No one wants to walk off the job, but this company has a duty to its workers and the flying public to negotiate in good faith.”

The workers are seeking a pay raise, a place to park for work, lockers, a clean space to eat meals, and the opportunity to wash off jet fuel from their clothes at the end of their shift.

“The group of Teamsters Local 174 members work in the critical role of aircraft fuelers in a grueling and safety-critical job, and without their labor, a majority of the aircraft passing through Sea-Tac International Airport would be left without a way to get fuel,” said Jamie Fleming, the director of communications and research for Teamsters Local 174.

Swissport is the largest provider of airport ground services in the world, netting €3.7 billion in revenue last year.

Air fueler: This is a ‘high-risk’ job

“This is a highly skilled, high-risk job, and all we’re asking for is fair pay and good benefits,” Parsu Ghimirey, an air fueler and Local 174 shop steward, said via the release. “Swissport can more than afford what we’re asking. If we end up striking, it’ll be because of management’s greed—plain and simple.”

A similarly sized group of aircraft fuelers working for Swissport, many of them immigrants, voted to strike in 2018, but they never made it to that stage before earning a new contract.

Swissport responds

Swissport released the following statement Tuesday night:

“We are disappointed that the Teamsters, whose members provide Swissport’s fueling services at Seattle airport, has chosen to undertake this unjustifiable strike action.

Swissport has been negotiating in good faith and its latest proposed offer is extremely competitive, including higher wages and better working conditions than its competitors. Our team members would be the highest paid fuelers at Seattle airport. However, the union has refused to allow its members to vote on our proposal.

We are extremely sorry that after a month of negotiations, based on a very fair offer, the Teamsters decided to take this course of action. We have repeatedly asked the union to negotiate but they keep delaying engagement in meaningful discussions.

Contingency plans are currently in place to ensure the continuity of our fueling services at Seattle airport.`

Swissport is confident that a resumption in dialogue will provide a positive result. We continue to pursue every avenue to find a solution and are prepared to return to the negotiating table should the union reengage.”

Contributing: Julia Dallas, MyNorthwest

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