O'Hare Security Officers File Claim for Unlawful Firing Following Labor Strike

Nearly 100 O'Hare International Airport workers went on an union-backed unfair labor practices strike to call for a $15 wage increase and emergency preparedness training in March. Two security officers on strike have been terminated about two weeks later, an act some are calling a violation of labor law.  

Sadaf Subijano, a leader in the movement who earned $12.13 an hour, was one of the workers who received a letter confirming she'd been fired. The other was Marcie Barnett, who earned $12.20 an hour.  

"I was shocked," Subijano told the Chicago Tribune. "Twenty years and this is what I got." 

Universal Security, a contracted security firm who employees the two, claims the terminations were lawful as they violated their employment contract by making comments to media.  

"Your comments have included sensitive security information," says the termination letter, a picture of which was provided to the Tribune by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1. "As you are aware, Universal's General Post Orders, which are mandated by the Chicago Department of Aviation, make clear that Universal personnel are not permitted to speak to the media regarding security operations at the airport."  

It is not clear which comments disclose sensitive security information. 

Claims of unfair labor practices were filed with the National Labor Relations Board on behalf of Subijano by the union organizing airport workers in Chicago, SEIU. 

"Their terminations only prove that when O'Hare workers speak out about improving conditions at O' Hare, they are intimidated, retaliated against and ultimately unjustly fired," Miltko, spokesperson for SEIU, told the Tribune.  

At that time the strike began, baggage handlers, custodians, cabin cleaners, security officers and wheelchair attendants left their job to join employees from eight other airports across the country to participate in a 24-hour strike, Miltko told the Tribune.  

The workers on strike are employees of subcontractors hired by the airlines, and their pay ranges from $12.75 for cabin drivers to $6.75 for wheelchair attendants, Miltko told the Tribune.