Protesters Picket Alaska Air Shareholders' Meeting

[struggle4progress]

POSTED: 5:14 pm PDT May 17, 2005

SEATTLE -- Dozens of protesters picketed Alaska Air Group Inc.'s annual shareholders' meeting Tuesday, a day after the union representing 472 airport ramp workers laid off by Alaska Airlines asked a federal judge to tell the company it can't outsource the work.

The airline replaced the employees at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport last Friday, giving the jobs to contract workers with Menzies Aviation in a bid to cut costs amid rising fuel prices and stiff competition.

"It's called corporate greed," said Leann Tucker, 35 and a ticket agent who's been working for Alaska Airlines for 17 years. "These are our family members they're letting go, and it's a shame."

Alaska Airlines, the nation's ninth-largest carrier, has said the layoffs are expected to save the company an estimated $13 million annually. <snip>

http://www.kirotv.com/news/4500605/detail.html

[KamaAina]

1. When's United's next shareholders' meeting?

Mark it down on your calendars...

[democracyindanger]

2. People still have United stock?

[fortyfeetunder]

3. Pay attention to this folks

The reason for the massive protest was because Alaska abruptly let go of all of its union baggage handlers and replaced them with contract workers.

If Alaska can get away with it, then other companies will try to do the same damn thing.

[struggle4progress]

4. The Ownership Society's motto: "We won so the laws don't apply to us."