Agent Attacked In Clt

[lester]

CWA Presses Federal Prosecution in Charlotte Air Rage Incident
Thursday November 6, 3:39 pm ET

WASHINGTON, Nov. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- The Communications Workers of America is fighting for real protections for US Airways agents in the wake of an assault on a gate agent in Charlotte, N.C., the fifth serious incident at the Charlotte airport in six months.
CWA has been pressing US Airways to take action in light of the growing levels of airport rage directed at ticket and gate agents by frustrated passengers.

A scientific survey conducted for CWA by Lauer Research Inc., in October found that nearly half, or 49 percent of agents had seen or experienced an airport rage incident in the past six months. The survey also found that staffing cuts have resulted in growing customer complaints -- both legitimate and unreasonable -- affecting overall customer service. CWA represents about 6,000 airport and reservations agents at US Airways.

The most recent Charlotte incident involved an inbound passenger flying from St. Martin. Agents at the gate heard the passenger cursing and knocking over a trash receptacle as he came up the concourse. When the gate agent called for security assistance, the passenger rushed behind the podium and tried to punch the agent. The passenger then grabbed the agent and slammed him into the podium, breaking two of the agent's ribs, reported James Root, president of CWA Local 3641 in Charlotte.

Airport authority management and security were reluctant to take any action against the perpetrator, forcing the agent go to the local magistrate's Charlotte office to swear out an arrest warrant.

CWA is contacting the federal prosecutor for the Charlotte district to have this latest assault case prosecuted under the federal law banning attacks on agents. "This law is about two years old, and prosecutors have not yet used it. We believe that federal prosecution of this case is necessary. At the same time, we're proposing an information program to make clear to passengers that assaults on agents can result in fines and up to 10 years' imprisonment. That's the only way to make certain that the public will take these assaults seriously and to lower the number of incidents that are occurring," said Root.

The "rules of engagement" that determine police intervention must be reviewed to make sure that airport police respond promptly and properly, Root added. "Agents here in Charlotte were stunned to find out that the airport police would not arrest the passenger involved in this incident," he said.

CWA is continuing to meet with US Airways management to work on these and other issues affecting passenger service agents. The union has called on US Airways management to take this issue seriously and to put in place a systemwide program that will help prevent such incidents, coupled with vigorous federal prosecution when such assaults and attacks occur.

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Source: Communications Workers of America

 

[robbedagain]

I wish the agent a quick recovery and I sincerely hope that this perpretrator spends the max of 10 yrs and pays the max fine. Also the airport police should be suspended for failure to arrest the attacker. good luck all of the agents especially the injured one.

 

[wench]

Received that same memo from the CWA>

Unbelievable- howere' I'm not 1 bit surprized that Ft>Fumble does not give a rat's
behind.

No wonder work place tragedies are on the INCREASE!!!!

 

[A319FA]

CLT agent suffers two broken ribs in latest airport rage incident...
By James Root, CWA Local 3641 President

Saturday night, November 1, an inbound St Martin passenger connecting in CLT assaulted a gate agent breaking two of his ribs. CWA Executive Vice President Jose Gomez had to escort the agent downtown to a magistrate’s office to get an arrest warrant before the airport police would agree to have the perpetrator arrested.

Agents working the gate heard the passenger coming before they even saw him. He was coming up the concourse cursing in a loud voice. He proceeded to knock over the trash receptacle in front of the podium and then shouted, “You people need to pick up your -***- trash.†Agents saw that he was out of control.

An agent picked up the phone and called for security assistance and when the passenger heard the conversation, he dropped his bag and walked over to the podium. At that point the passenger rushed the agent behind the podium and took a swing at him. The agent was backing up so the passenger’s punch missed him. The passenger then grabbed the agent by the shirt and swung him around and slammed him into the side of the podium, breaking two of his ribs.

(Those wishing to express support or sympathy can send messages to Local 3641 and they will be forwarded to the agent: email: [email protected] or postal mail: CWA Local 3641, 756 Tyvola Rd #115, Charlotte NC 28217).

This is the fifth serious CLT incident in six months (agents assaulted by pushing, shoving, spitting). Everybody, from airport management, to corporate execs are expressing extreme sympathy for this agent, but what is needed is somebody in corporate management to respond to our requests for a systemwide program to prevent these incidents from happening in the first place and vigorous federal prosecution when they do occur.

CWA legal department is approaching the federal prosecutor for the Charlotte district to press to have this latest CLT case prosecuted in federal court. The law is less than two years old and prosecutors have not used it. We think that federal prosecution, combined with a program of passenger information about the law and its penalties (up to 10 years imprisonment) will help reduce the number of incidents.

Now, we also see that the “rules of engagement†at every airport need to be examined to ensure that the airport police will respond properly. CLT agents were stunned to find out that the airport police would not arrest the passenger involved in this incident. US Airways Corporate security is now in CLT pressing to have these cases handled more effectively by the police and prosecutors.

The just-completed Lauer Research poll shows that 49% of agents say they have seen or been the victim of airport rage in the last six months. Labor Relations management was not impressed in two recent meetings where we presented that information – they seem to think we are making a big issue out of nothing. But we are not – this is a big issue and its not going away. Also, we really would like to hear a public statement from the CEO of US Airways that this passenger will never again fly on this airline – period.

Source: http://www.cwa.net/jumppages/CLTASSAULTjump.asp

 

[N628AU]

US Airways Corporate security is now in CLT pressing to have these cases handled more effectively by the police and prosecutors.


The topic of this thread says "US Airways Does Not Care About Employees". If corporate security is fighting to have the Feds go after this guy, there is not a whole lot more they can do. They can ban him from flying the airline, and that may very well be in the works. The company, like most companies, do not comment on pending legal issues. How is the title of this thread relevant? I can understand the growing employee frustration, but it is misdirected here. I understand the agent has been called by many in CCY Senior Management to check on the recovery process.

 

[oldiebutgoody]

That may be the case, but if this guy's supervisor or station manager didn't pursue this guy's arrest with the airport police (I don't know whether he/she did or didn't), then SOME sort of action should be taken by the company to either relieve or downgrade the individual. If physical violence was witnessed by other passengers and no action was pursued, it just invites more (or, scares many passengers away). Verbal violence and threats are one thing, but physical violence is quite another. :angry:

 

[Hawk]

I understand the agent has been called by many in CCY Senior Management to check on the recovery process.

That is an accurate statement. You will read more about this incident in tomorrow’s paper.

 

[N628AU]

That may be the case, but if this guy's supervisor or station manager didn't pursue this guy's arrest with the airport police (I don't know whether he/she did or didn't), then SOME sort of action should be taken by the company to either relieve or downgrade the individual. If physical violence was witnessed by other passengers and no action was pursued, it just invites more (or, scares many passengers away). Verbal violence and threats are one thing, but physical violence is quite another. :angry:

Oldie,

I agree with that. The problem I have is that the title of this thread implies that US Airways management did nothing in this case. Your response is a very big if.

P.S. --- Lord help me, Hawk and I are on the same page with something.

 

[ClueByFour]

That is an accurate statement. You will read more about this incident in tomorrow’s paper.

I hope it involves publically reprimanding any security personnel or the airport police who did not immediately detain the SOB in question, ban him/her from the airline, and a very public dismissal in the event of nonaction on the station manager's part.

This would be a situation in which your spin machine could learn something from the unions. It would have been the right thing to do to jump on this ASAP.

 

[deltawatch]

I wonder what action the company would have taken if he had kicked over and trashed a $20,000.00 Kiosk.

 

[oldiebutgoody]

I wonder what action the company would have taken if he had kicked over and trashed a $20,000.00 Kiosk.

They would blame it on the employees. It must be their fault; there couldn't be ANY other reason.

 

[Art at ISP]

I find it particularly disturbing that the airport police were unwilling to do anything. What was their excuse???

As one who has intervened on the behalf of US agents with more than one unruly passenger, I would have been happy to press charges myself had I witnessed this event.

I have emailed Mr. Root to send my support and best wishes for a speedy recovery to the agent who was injured.

My best to all my friends at US.

 

[MrAeroMan]

According to NC law the Airport Police have no authority to arrest the man unless they actually "View" the incident taking place. The best they could do was issue him a summons or "Ticket". The airport police were actually correct in their handling of the situation as sick as it is. What is even more unfortunate is the amount of time it takes them to respond. That's what needs to be looked into.
As for the title of this thread...the cynicism unbelievable. How is it managements fault that there is a law in NC that doesn't allow the airport police to arrest this man? In fact, management has taken the lead in response to this with the CWA attorneys. Corporate Security is involved and leading the charge also. What more can they do?

 

[Smartest Loser]

That is an accurate statement. You will read more about this incident in tomorrow’s paper.

Incorrect...!!! Totally Incorrect..!!

 

[flyonthewall]

US Airways' Legal, Customer Service, Security and Human Resources staffs have all been involved in the company's response following an assault by a passenger on a Charlotte gate agent last weekend. The employee suffered bruised ribs when the passenger pushed him into the podium. (He was not punched.) Paramedics examined and released him. Airport police arrested the passenger on a disorderly conduct charge and then provided the employee with information on how to file an assault complaint with a magistrate. A preliminary hearing on assault and disorderly conduct charges is set for later this month.

The Legal department has contacted the Mecklenburg County district attorney's office to emphasize US Airways' commitment to work with our employee and authorities to seek prosecution of this customer. Also, Dave Siegel and Senior Vice President of Employee Relations Jerry Glass personally contacted the employee pledging the company's support. The passenger will be denied future travel on US Airways. "The safety of our employees and customers is of paramount concern to US Airways," Glass said. "We will not tolerate acts of rage either in the air or on the ground, and we will fully support our employees against physical or verbal assault," he said.