200 to rally today for fired immigrant workers

At the scene of recent travel ban vigils inside Dulles International Airport, Virginia Delegates Lee Carter (D-50) and Kerrie Delaney (D-67), clergy, 200 airport workers and allies will rally and display giant photos of immigrant women fired by airline contractor, Huntleigh USA today at 12 noon. The group will also deliver letters demanding the workers be rehired by Huntleigh, which their union, SEIU 32BJ, says “has a long history of mistreatment of their almost exclusively immigrant workforce,” including allegations that it fired workers for speaking out. “I worked hard, I loved my job and the passengers really appreciated the service I provided them,” said Manju Ara Islam from Bangladesh who lost her job for allegedly soliciting tips as a wheelchair agent. “But now I am struggling to survive, I can’t pay my bills and I’m sick with worry!” “It’s clear these workers need a union to fight back against Huntleigh’s bad labor practices,” said Delegate Carter. “They deserve the stability, work and dignity of a good union job.”

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