News

UNI affiliate, SEIU, signed a historic agreement with Menzies Aviation that creates a new and unique partnership which aims to create a gold standard initiative to promote safe working conditions for ramp workers at Los Angeles International Airport.

This agreement comes after months of protests, petition signing and global solidarity following the death of Menzies worker Cesar Valenzuela when he was thrown from a vehicle that did not have a seat belt.  Cesar was the third worker to die after a fatal accident at the company’s LAX operations since 2006 and his death and comes on the heels of findings of serious workplace hazards by a state safety agency. While his death could have been prevented had the company behaved responsibly, it will no longer have been in vain.

This agreements is an amazing breakthrough! These workers did not have the right to form a union and their precedent will open the door for the rest of Menzies workers nationally. Furthermore they will have new health and safety standards which increases the chances of workers going home in the same condition that they arrived in.

The struggle with Menzies Aviation will continue until all Menzies workers in the US have the same standards and protections as the LAX workers will enjoy. But this breakthrough in the fight would not have been possible without the incredible solidarity shown by many UNI affiliates throughout the world and its members. You have shown airlines and their contractors that global unions are willing to fight back against the aviation industry's global race to the bottom.

This is the first of many more wins to come and UNI Global Union Property Services will maintain their solidarity until there is are safe working conditions and a decent life for all Menzies workers. UNI and the SEIU would like to thank all of our affiliates who participated in the month long action. Attached are the photos from the various global solidarity actions. Together we have won.