Committee unanimously backs resolution supporting GardaWorld officers’ union drive at Lambert Airport

The St. Louis City Transportation and Commerce Committee on Jan. 28 voted unanimously to enbank and give a due-pass recommendation to Resolution 2 23, a measure expressing the committee’s support for GardaWorld security officers at St. Louis Lambert International Airport as they organize with SEIU Local 1.

The resolution, sponsored by the Alderwoman from the First Ward, says the city stands in solidarity with the officers and affirms their right to form a union. The committee first voted to make the resolution “in bank,” meaning committee members become co-sponsors, and later voted to send the resolution to the full Board with a due-pass recommendation.

Alderwoman from the First Ward, the sponsor, told the committee the measure "shows our solidarity with Garda World officers at St. Louis Lambert International Airport as they organize to form a union. These workers at the airport are providing an essential service to our city, to our passengers, and they have every right to form a union," according to the meeting record.

Members of SEIU Local 1 spoke in support. Mia King, internal coordinator for SEIU Local 1, said security officers at Lambert work "under extremely unreasonable working conditions. They get no breaks while they're at work, very few days off, no real training for the work that they're expected to do, and also have experienced what we can only consider to be wage theft by their employer." King told the committee that a change to the city’s living wage ordinance had closed a loophole affecting those workers and urged aldermen to tell GardaWorld regional management that the officers have the right to organize without interference.

James Butler, introduced by SEIU Local 1 as "one of the members of Local 1," said he works at Tabor Plastics and attended to "represent the local." Clinton McBride of the First Ward described broader reasons he supports the resolution, saying organized labor often secures higher wages, better benefits and retirement that many nonunion workers lack.

Vice Chair Spencer and other committee members offered brief remarks of support. The committee’s roll call on the due-pass motion recorded five "aye" votes: Vice Chair Spencer; Alderman Orion; Alderman Schweitzer; Alderman Browning; and Chair Cone. No nays or abstentions were recorded in the transcript.

Committee Chair Cone explained that, after the committee’s action, the resolution will go to the full Board for further consideration and that the committee’s unanimous support makes every committee member a co-sponsor. The committee had no further business and adjourned.

Votes at a glance: Resolution 2 23 — motion to pass out with a due-pass recommendation carried 5–0 (Spencer, Orion, Schweitzer, Browning, Cone voting aye).