Airserv workers deliver a petition to a representative of the Metropolitan Airports Commission.
After receiving a petition signed by 225 employees based at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, managers at Airserv agreed last month to provide its workers with paper copies of their paycheck stubs.
It was a small victory, but another step forward for a growing number of workers joining together to improve wages and working conditions at MSP Airport. [In December, workers cheered the Metropolitan Airports Commission’s decision to require airport employers to offer workers paid sick days.]
But Airserv worker Darcy Landau, who is active in efforts to organize a union, said the company refused to acknowledge the workers’ petition as a factor in its decision to reverse the pay stub policy.
Darcy Landau
“They say they did it for different reasons,” Landau said of Airserv management. “It is a victory for us, but they want to take the credit.”
After Airserv switched to an electronic payroll system, with paycheck information available only via a website, many workers reported trouble loading the site, and others said they lack the skills or resources necessary to get online.
Workers remain concerned about Airserv’s increased use of standby and “flex” scheduling, Landau said.
“This whole economy is based on 40 hours a week, and they won’t give us our 40 hours per week,” he said. “And customer service suffers because of it.”
SEIU Local 26 is supporting MSP-based Airserv workers’ efforts to organize a union.
Union Advocate 