Contracting Out At Airlines Threatens Health And Safety-Airlines Not Doing Enough To Protect Aircraft Cleaners And Passengers From Ebola Risk, Union Charges

Contracting Out At Airlines Threatens Health And Safety-Airlines Not Doing Enough To Protect Aircraft Cleaners And Passengers From Ebola Risk, Union Charges
http://www.forbes.com/sites/johngoglia/2014/10/19/airlines-not-doing-eno...
LOGISTICS & TRANSPORTATION 10/19/2014 @ 6:12AM 1,211 views
Airlines Not Doing Enough To Protect Aircraft Cleaners And Passengers From Ebola Risk, Union Charges

As I wrote recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have issued specific guidelines for airline crews, including cleaning crews, to prevent the potential for the Ebola virus to spread on our nation’s airliners as they carry people that may be infected with the virus. But according to one of the largest unions representing airport ground workers – including aircraft and airport cleaners and wheelchair agents – these frontline workers in the effort to prevent contamination from infectious diseases, including Ebola, on aircraft and in airports are not equipped or trained to do the job.

In response to written questions from Forbes, a Service Employees International Union spokesperson, Graham Copp, stated “It’s hard to see how the airline industry is playing its part to keep workers and passengers safe, when there are so many reports of under-trained, under-equipped workers coming into contact with bodily fluids, such as blood, feces and vomit.”

He further stated: “We have real concerns about the safety of cleaning crews and other people who work at airports, such as wheelchair agents. We have been supporting airport workers in their efforts to raise health and safety standards for several years now. In that time, we’ve seen a pattern of poor protective equipment, such as thin gloves that break easily, understaffing of cleaning crews and huge time pressure, at multiple airports. This is an infection-control concern that goes beyond Ebola.”

Although employers are responsible for providing training and protective equipment, the union has stepped in recently to provide informational training at JFK International Airport, where the majority of passengers from West Africa enter the United States. The union called the training “awareness” training in an October 9 press conference. The purpose of the training, according to the union, is to inform workers of the additional CDC guidelines for dealing with potential exposure to bodily fluids infected with the Ebola virus. These enhanced protections include, plastic shoe covers, full-length, full-sleeve gowns, face shields or goggles and double layers of gloves. According to Mr. Copp, the training was not meant “to replace employers’ obligation to provide comprehensive training on infection control to the people who keep our airports and airplanes clean.” The union plans to provide training at additional airports in the coming weeks.

The union’s concern regarding airport ground worker training and experience on safety issues is one I am personally familiar with as a former airline employee and Member of the National Transportation Safety Board. Airline cost-cutting measures over the years have resulted in airlines contracting out work that was once performed by the airlines themselves. Often, these contracts go to the lowest bidders, who in turn pay their workers very low wages. These low wages result in high worker turnover at many facilities as employees change jobs frequently for even a small increase in salary. In addition, low wages frequently result in employees working two or even three jobs, making them vulnerable to fatigue and fatigue-related mistakes, which can present a problem for workers complying with infectious waste protocols. Proper adherence to protocols is especially important when removing protective gear that may have become contaminated to avoid the risk of infection to the worker or contamination of others. [Dislosure: Earlier in the year, I submitted written testimony to the California State Assembly Labor Committee reviewing airport ramp worker safety at the request of SEIU.]

According to Mr. Copp, the union spokesperson, “the CDC guidelines provide a good level of protection for cleaners. The problem is with implementation. We have not yet seen the large-scale culture shift needed among many airline cleaning contractors.” In addition, Mr. Copp stated that the “patchwork system of low-bid subcontractors with little to no enforcement and ineffective oversight is inadequate to deal with this current crisis, and needs to be fixed immediately at airports across the country.” CDC Guidance to airline cleaning crews, updated on October 15, is provided here.