News in Brief
News in Brief: Security Guard Union Blasts JetBlue

Security Guard Union Blasts JetBlue
A union representing security guards is launching a six-figure advertising campaign against JetBlue for paying guards poorly. The ads appear on cable television, taxi television in New York and the Internet to reach JetBlue’s customers using JFK International Airport.
November 23, 2007
Security Guard Union Blasts JetBlue
A union that represents security guards is launching a six-figure advertising campaign against JetBlue Airways for paying its guards poorly.

The ads from Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ, which appear on cable television, taxi television and the Internet, seek to reach JetBlue’s customers who use JFK International Airport. JetBlue contracts with Summit Security service to provide 80 security guards at the airport, who are paid just $20,000 a year, one ad claims, or “not enough to feed a family.”

The three 15-second spots also refer to JetBlue’s disastrous cancellation in February of hundreds of flights, to passengers’ confinement for hours on grounded airplanes, and to the airline’s “lousy snacks.”

A JetBlue spokesman says that the Summit Security guards focus on traffic control, not baggage and aircraft security. Beyond that, he declined to comment on internal labor issues.

SEIU Local 32BJ, which is trying to organize the Summit workers, represents more than 50,000 building services workers in New York, including maintenance crews, cleaners, doormen and superintendents.

This story was filed by Anne Michaud of Crain’s New York Business, a sister publication of Workforce Management. To comment, please e-mail editors@workforce.com.

 









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