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Showing posts with label United Airlines. Show all posts
Showing posts with label United Airlines. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Employment Relationship Essential Criteria for Jurisdiction

Petitioner, a New Jersey resident, sought benefits under the Workers' Compensation Act (WCA), N.J.S.A. 34:15-1 to -128, alleging injuries both as the result of a specific incident, and occupational injuries "while performing repetitive duties" as an aircraft technician while employed by United Airlines at the airport in Philadelphia. The judge of compensation dismissed both petitions for lack of jurisdiction.

Friday, July 25, 2014

United Airlines' Outsourcing Jobs to Company That Pays Near-Poverty Wages Is Shameful

Today's post was shared by Steven Greenhouse and comes from www.huffingtonpost.com

On October 1, United Airlines is planning to outsource 630 gate agent jobs at 12 airports to companies that pay near-poverty level wages. The airports affected include Salt Lake City; Charlotte, North Carolina; Pensacola, Florida; Detroit and Des Moines, Iowa.

As a result hundreds of employees who formerly made middle-class, living wages will be forced to transfer to other cities, take early retirement or seek employment elsewhere. Union employees who have been with the company for years -- many making a respectable $50,000-per-year salaries -- will be replaced by non-union employees who will be paid less than half -- between $9.50 and $12 per hour.

Nine-fifty an hour is a poverty-level wage if you are trying to support a family -- and $12 barely exceeds the poverty level. In fact at $12 a family of three makes so little that they are eligible for food stamps.

That, in effect, means that United and its subcontractor will be subsidized by American taxpayers for the food stamp payments made to their new low-wage workers.

United's move to convert middle-class jobs into near-poverty level jobs is shameful -- it's that simple.

And United's move to cut employee pay is emblematic of corporate America's systematic campaign to lower wages and destroy the American middle class in order to increase returns to Wall Street shareholders. It is exactly the kind of action that must come to a screeching halt if the middle class is to survive -- and our children are once again be able to look...


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United Airlines cited at Newark, N.J., airport for repeat and serious safety hazards


Company faces $101,300 penalty following OSHA inspection
United Airlines Inc. has exposed ground operation workers at the Newark airport to hazardous conditions, prompting the U.S. Department of Labor"s Occupational Safety and Health Administration to issue 16 citations and propose penalties of $101,300.
The safety violations were found during a January 2014 inspection that is part of an OSHA effort to focus on workplaces with high rates of injuries and illness. The inspection found three repeat violations that had been discovered by OSHA during inspections in 2011 and 2013.
"United Airlines should immediately address these safety violations to prevent worker injuries and ensure a safe workplace," said Kris Hoffman, director of OSHA"s Parsippany Area Office. "These workers face electrical hazards, falls, and being struck-by objects and equipment daily. Their safety is critical. Airline ground operations safety is of vital importance, not only to the workers, but to the millions of Americans who depend on air travel every day."
Carrying a $55,000 penalty, the repeat violations were cited for United Continental Holdings Inc."s failing to clearly mark exits located inside facilities where food service employees, baggage handlers and gate agents worked; keep unused openings closed on an electrical box where conduit or knockout plugs were located; and use extension cords as a substitute for required permanent wiring at Newark Liberty International Airport. A repeat violation exists when an employer previously has been cited for the same or a similar violation at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years.
The company was cited for nine serious violations, with a $46,300 penalty, including exposing aircraft mechanics to fall hazards while working from a ground support vehicle and struck-by hazards by storing materials, such as aircraft parts including landing gear tires and aircraft struts and fasteners, on storage racks, which were damaged and not anchored. United Airlines also failed to:
  • Properly guard equipment, store materials and dispose of waste materials.
  • Ensure exits were unobstructed and wide enough and place directional signs in areas where exits were not apparent.
  • Ensure employees operating tugs to transport luggage used seat belts.
  • Use power strips according to manufacturer"s recommendations.
  • Use ladders for purposes intended by the manufacturer, and remove damaged ladders from service.
A serious citation is issued when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result and the employer knew, or should have known, of the hazard.
Three other safety violations involved failing to maintain clean and orderly work areas, and not providing fire extinguisher training for ground operation workers and welders. Additionally, powered industrial trucks in need of repair were not taken out of service, and placards on the trucks were illegible.
For more information on safety and health in the airline industry, visit https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/airline_industry/index.html
United Airlines has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, ask for an informal conference with OSHA"s area director, or contest the citations and proposed penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
To ask questions, obtain compliance assistance, file a complaint, or report workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA"s toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency"s Parsippany Area Office at 973-263-1003.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA"s role is to ensure these conditions for America"s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.
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Jon L. Gelman of Wayne NJ is the author of NJ Workers’ Compensation Law (West-Thompson-Reuters) and co-author of the national treatise, Modern Workers’ Compensation Law (West-Thompson-Reuters). For over 4 decades the Law Offices of Jon L Gelman  1.973.696.7900  jon@gelmans.com  have been representing injured workers and their families who have suffered occupational accidents and illnesses.

Friday, January 17, 2014

United Airlines plane returns to Newark Airport after strong turbulence; 5 flight attendants hurt

As United Airlines begins the furlough today of about 700 flight attendants, a United plane hit turbulence and 5 flight attendance were reportedly injured. Even though they may have been in international airspace, the claims are subject to workers' compensation coverage. Today's post is shared from nj.com.
NEWARK — Five flight attendants were hurt, with one complaining of severe back pain, after a Beijing-bound flight that took off from from Newark Liberty International Airport hit turbulence about 30 minutes after takeoff, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said today.
Flight 89 returned to the airport about 4:30 p.m., the spokesman, Ron Marsico said.
A United Airlines spokeswoman said the aircraft, which took off at 12:40 p.m., was carrying 189 passengers and 16 crew members. None of the passengers was injured, Marsico said.
Emergency workers treated the flight attendants at the scene for minor bumps and bruises. All five were taken to area hospitals, he said.
Passengers were offered hotel rooms in Newark and will be flying out tomorrow, the United spokeswoman said.
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Monday, November 25, 2013

Boeing warns 15 airlines of high-altitude ice problem for Dreamliner

Aviation safety is again in the news as Boeing issues are notice to 15 major airlines worldwide of concern about engine freezing in their new Dreamliner at higher altitudes. Today's post is shared from Reuters.com
Boeing plans to raise production of the 787 Dreamliner to 12 per month by 2016
Fifteen airlines have been warned about the risk of ice forming on Boeing's new 747-8 and 787 Dreamliner planes.

The issue - affecting some types of engines made by General Electric when planes fly near high-level thunderstorms - prompted Japan Airlines to cancel two international routes.

There have been six incidents since April when aircraft powered by GE engines lost power at high altitude.

These are the latest technical issues to hit the Dreamliner.

They saw the entire fleet being grounded earlier this year following battery problems.

The Boeing 747-8 series and the new 787 Dreamliner are the only types of aircraft affected by the high-altitude icing issue.

The new warning was given to airlines including Lufthansa, United Airlines and Japan Airlines.
It says aircraft with the affected engines - GE's GEnx - must not be flown within 50 nautical miles of thunderstorms that may contain ice crystals.
As a result, Japan Airlines (JAL) has decided to withdraw Dreamliners from service on the Tokyo-Delhi and Tokyo-Singapore routes.

"Boeing and JAL share a commitment to the safety of passengers and crews on board our airplanes. We respect JAL's decision to suspend some 787...
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Friday, September 27, 2013

United Airlines flight lands safely after pilot suffers heart attack

Safety in the air is of great concern.What is lacking is adequate access to medical care and resources on an urgent basis. This article is shared from Reuters.

A United Airlines flight bound for Seattle with 165 people on board made an emergency landing at Boise Airport on Thursday evening after the pilot suffered a heart attack, an airport spokeswoman said.
The Boeing 737 landed safely shortly after 8 p.m. local time and the pilot was rushed to a local hospital, where his condition was unknown, Boise Airport spokeswoman Patty Miller said.
"We got a call from United flight 1607 at about 7:55 p.m. Mountain Time declaring an emergency, they said the pilot had had a heart attack," Miller said, adding that the plane landed at 8:08 p.m.
Click here to read the complete article.
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