AFSCME: Wayne County, MI, Airport Authority Has Made Poor Financial Decisions Which Has Led To Their Current Situation

A number of American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local Unions that represent workers at Michigan's Wayne County Airport said  Monday that they will propose ways to ensure better airport safety, less waiting for planes, and cheaper airplane ticket prices.

Citing what the union representatives call "recent turmoil, management decision making, an ongoing federal probe and contract negotiations soon to start," airport workers say they wanted to ensure "the public needs were put into the forefront."

"With the main airline carrier Delta making huge profits in a down economy, the Wayne County Airport Authority's (WCAA) inability to make sound financial decisions has led to its current financial situation." said Richard Johnson, spokesperson for airport workers. "Airport workers who have shared in the sacrifice, will continue to figure out ways to improve the public's experience at airports in spite of the poor management."

The union member say that, according to the WCAA's own numbers, union airport workers wages are down 6% with benefits costing 12% more to workers. Management wages are up 2% and private contractors' wages are up 32.5%. Richard Johnson said, "Why with all the recent turmoil with the WCAA director and board members, there is a need to investigate further how are management wages figured and how can they be going up in tough economic times while asking frontline workers to continue to be cut."  The announcement of a recent federal probe into Wayne County has many people in the public talking about corruption and favoritism at the top levels. This also begs the question of whether good financial decisions overall are being made. Recently Delta airlines received about $9 million dollars from WCAA and now WCAA has proposed cuts in services and jobs.

The union is encouraging people to attend the Wayne County Airport Authority Board Meeting at 1330 local time Wednesday in the Lindberg Ballroom at Westin Hotel at the airport.

FMI: www.miafscme.org