IAM and Other Transportation Unions Raise Concerns About Assault on Airline Workers

Transportation Newswire
14 February 2022

The IAM joined other transportation unions in raising urgent concerns regarding assaults against passenger service agents working across airports in the United States. The letter was addressed to President Biden, U.S. Homeland Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, and U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. 

 
The letter urges governmental action to address the increase in assaults against passenger service agents, including the prosecution of abusive passengers.
 
“Airline gate agents are a vital part of a multilayered airline security and safety process at the airport,” reads the letter. “Our members are responsible for checking passengers into their flights, checking luggage to comply with airline weight and balance limits, and boarding passengers onto the aircraft in an orderly and structured way.”
 
Over the past few months, passenger service members across the country have experienced serious physical and verbal assault and harassment incidents, with few repercussions for the offending passenger imposed by law enforcement.
 
The FAA has reported a total of 5,981 passenger incidents in 2021, which is up sharply from previous years.
 
“The IAM supports the push for more substantial penalties against unruly passengers who assault passenger service agents and other airline workers,” said Richard Johnsen, IAM Chief of Staff to the International President.
 
“Our union continues to ring the alarm and highlight the need of enforcing the laws for assault against all airline workers. The best way to curb these unfortunate incidents is for the interagency working group to listen to the impacted workers in the airline industry. We must all work together to end the assaults that afflict our members.” 
 
The labor coalition expressed the need for all frontline gate agents to expect a safe workplace, free from the threat of violence, and increased cooperation is required to improve the safety of these employees.
 
 

The Machinists Non-Partisan Political League seeks to advance public policy that benefits airline and aerospace workers. To support the work of the MNPL, please consider recurring, automatic donations of any amount today. Click Here to start supporting this important work.

The Union

No Thanks, No Giving. United Negotiations Update

No Thanks, No Giving. United Negotiations Update

Dec 3, 2022

No Thanks, No Giving3 December 2022 IAM District 141 and United Airlines management met in Orlando, Florida, this week and continued contract negotiations. Both parties remain very far apart on the most vital issues: job security and wages. United management's refusal...

JetBlue Ground Workers to Vote for Machinists Union

JetBlue Ground Workers to Vote for Machinists Union

Nov 29, 2022

JetBlue Ground Workers to Vote for Machinists UnionJustice at JetBlueFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASENovember 29, 2022, WASHINGTON DC—The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) today announced that the National Mediation Board (NMB), the federal...

Historic Union Alliance at Delta

Historic Union Alliance at Delta

Nov 28, 2022

Delta is now facing three of the largest unions in North American at the same time. Get ready for pizza parties. Historic Union Alliance Forms at DeltaGOIAM.org28 November 2022North America's three largest airline unions have formed a historic alliance to unify tens...

Share This