Airport union, management seek accord

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080329/BIZ/803290320

By Michael Randall
Times Herald-Record
March 29, 2008

STEWART AIRPORT — Representatives of about 30 unionized airport workers will sit down with management today to talk about a new contract.

Talks are continuing even though the International Union of Operating Engineers recently filed an unfair labor practice charge against the airport operators with the National Labor Relations Board.

John Lynch, business representative for Local 825, said they hope to make progress today.

The union workers perform a variety of maintenance and other operations functions at the airport, including plowing snow and mowing grass.

When National Express was succeeded by the Port Authority as the airport leaseholder Nov. 1, the union's old contract became null and void.

But Paul Montalbano, the union's lawyer, said AvPorts — the Baltimore-based firm that Port Authority subcontracted with to handle on-site operations — hired all the old National Express workers, and so was obligated to work out a new contract.

FULL story at link.