MPR: Airport workers rally for benefits

Airport workers rally for benefits
By Marisa Helms
Minnesota Public Radio
September 30, 2001

Northwest Airlines labor unions and the state's Democratic congressional leaders say they want an economic stimulus package to cover laid-off workers in the airline and hospitality industries. On Sunday, about 300 people showed up at the state Capitol in St. Paul for a rally in support of the thousands of Minnesota workers that are being laid off as a result of the drop in customers since the September 11th terrorist attacks.

Many machinists, pilots, reservation agents, baggage handlers and others showed up in uniform for the union-organized rally, several wearing black ribbons on their lapels to memorialize pilots, attendants, and other airline workers killed in the September 11th attacks.

Mark McClaine, chairman for the local Airline Pilots Association for Northwest. He says he came to show his support for the state's congressional delegation and their efforts to secure financial help for the state's aviation workers because they've been "very supportive of the initiatives they've undertaken, and we want to show our support as working men and women that we support these initiatives."

Many of the state's Democratic congressional delegation attended the rally, including U.S. Senators Mark Dayton and Paul Wellstone, U.S. Representatives Martin Sabo and Betty McCollum.

Sabo described the negotiations over recent legislation related to the attacks as partisan. He says House Republicans killed a measure as part of the airline bailout bill passed last week that would have offered key provisions to help aviation workers.

Congress is expected to debate the Aviation Security Act as early as next week. That legislation includes the deployment of federal air marshals, improved safety measures on airplanes, and the federalization of airport security.

Wellstone says he will push for an Aviation Worker Recovery amendment to the Aviation Security Act. Wellstone says his legislation would provide expanded unemployment benefits, job retraining, reimbursement for health care premiums, and strengthening airplane and airport security. He added that he will also push for federal relief for workers in related industries.

"Of course you're here for yourselves, of course you're here for your children," he told the rally. "But the truth of the matter is, it goes beyond aviation employees and related businesses. I mean, look at hotel restaurants, look at the workers, look at some of the small businesses, look at the economy, and the fact that we're in hard economic times, and so many people in Minnesota, no fault of their own, find themselves out of work."

Wade Luneburg was pleased with that sentiment. He's a banquet waiter at the Marquette Hotel, and a member of the hotel and restaurant employees union. He says the industry is taking a direct hit and he'd like to see some support from the federal government. "I think it's important that everybody band together and really try to solve the problem. I can tell you these hotels are sitting largely empty and restaurants are empty and they're an important part of the economy," he said.

Conservative and Republican lawmakers have indicated they're concerned too many different industries will come knocking on the door of the U.S. treasury for airline-type bailouts.

Still, the Democratic congressional delegation vowed to the workers rallying at the Capitol, that they would put forth legislation in the next week or two that they say will provide meaningful relief for the state's workers.

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