Bill Huisman (far right) of ADC presents checks for Outstanding Service
to Nitchel McNeil of JetBlue and Manjit Kainth of Of Summit Security with
(left) Port Security Mervin Peter and JFK General Manager Charles Everett.
Andrew Halley, Aer Lingus. Past President Ajay Dhawan voices
his opinion.
AIRPORT VOICE, NOVEMBER 2019 11
KAAMCO, GM meetngs
SIDA badging major issue
KAAMCO members complain of delays
Claim employees lose valuable work days
Both the Kaamco and JFK
General Manager’s stakeholder
meetings were held on
October 9. On the top of the list
from Kaamco were the concerns
over delays and procedures
of security credentials
badging.
Members were concerned
over delays in the SIDA
badging process during the
transition from paper to digital
procedures in the department.
This issue had been
building for weeks and President
Ana Lemos asked the
Kaamco members how this
impacted their operations.
Many members said they
were frustrated by the length
of time that the security office
is experiencing in badging
both new employee and renewal
SIDA badges. Concerns
over the delays, which
reached 90 days according to
one company, hampered the
process of hiring new employees
who need to work and cannot
wait months for badge authorization.
The delays also
impacted those with expiring
badges that were unable to get
renewed thereby leaving some
employees without work for
an number of weeks until the
appointment calendar opened
up. There were calls by members
for priorities for expired
badges, faster badge pick-up
and faster appointments that
otherwise that might negatively
impact the worker who
has two jobs and has constrained
time.
With a concerted voice,
members voiced that with the
upcoming busy holiday travel,
winter weather, terminal retail
operations, increased
cargo and security needs, the
prospect of not being to hire
enough people in a reasonable
time to provide a satisfactory
customer experience was
daunting.
Another big issue shared
by the members is the one
year validity of a SIDA badge.
Several members felt that a
longer time validity would
make it easier for workers and
companies to handle the “paperwork”.
Currently the Port
Authority security mandates
a yearly renewal. According
to other familiar with other
airports, some have 2-3 year
badge life spans. One port
security manager said that
these are Port regulations.
There was a lot of back and
forth between Port and members
as to why this could not
be changed.
One airline said that not
only does the extreme log wait
hinder proper staffing up during
peak times but the shortage
of workers negatively impacts
the airport operations
and also the travelling public
who have might be inconvenienced
due to a worker shortage.
Another said the it has
been a priority to provide superior
customer experience
and this situation hurts that
goal. It was also said that millions
of dollars would be saved
by moving to a 2 year expiration.
One member called for
the Port Director of Security
and Aviation visit Kaamco to
attend a Kaamco conference
to hear of the community concerns.
It was agreed to pursue
this idea with Port at the upcoming
meetings.
Recommendations for
improving the badging process
ranged from temporarily
changing expiration to 18
months during this perceived
crisis, permanently extending
validity to 18 months; make
it two years; put expiration
dates on worker birthdays to
spread out crunch times; better
appointment setting procedures.
One knowledgeable
said that Port does have a 2
year potential but has not increased
expiration. Kaamco
members overwhelmingly
would like a two year period.
President Ana Lemos was
pleased with all the support
for this effort and their concerns
.” We understand that
there are some of the hiccups
“ she said and added, “We
are united in something important
for us , to share concerns
and to collaborate with
Port. She said that she would
draft a letter to the Port Authority
and present the encumbrances
which burden the
companies that need to their
workforce and maintain efficiency
in everyone’s operations.
She said that the Port is
doing things to improve and
they are in middle of transition
process but we must give
them feedback. Port will provide
updates in the GM meeting.
Questions raised as to
what can kind we do to work
together to avoid this.
One commented that on
the impact on employees with
increased AirTrain rates.
“While we give better wages
then increase other costs,
how does this impact them?”
Lemos asked.
On other matters, the cargo
committee reported that they
had a FOD cargo area inspection.
According to the report
there was a lot of new equipment
found in areas that are
prohibited by the Port.
A more extensive breakdown
of the FOD inspection
was to be given at the Kaamco
Cargo Committee meeting
later in the month.
Julie Emond reported that
the Interline and Ground Ops
will now be on same day following
each other beginning
at 11am on the 3rd Thursday
monthly.
A Deicing meeting was
scheduled for October 18 with
some procedure changes.
There are also some qualification
changes for drivers in
tugs and cockpits with is a
suspension list for those who
have not been trained. In some
cases their ID will be deactivated.
It was reported that the
months long runway construction
is going as planned
with an expected November
16th completion date.
Phil Jensen of WFS reported
that the current mail
season has been slow. Over the
past couple of years the airport
has experienced surges
of air cargo volume necessitating
additional space and labor
to handle to uptick. Jensen attributes
this lightness to people
not buying enough on Amazon
and therefore not filling
as many aircraft from China
to the U.S. There is no backlog
as in past years he pointed
out. Looking forward to the
increasingly busy holiday season
he said “We should be in
good shape” with the USPS operating
from two buildings.
The matter of electric conversion
of airport vehicles
continues to be a subject being
discussed in conference calls
to the community. There have
been conversations to discuss
waivers and time lines for
compliance for transitioning
to electric. It was noted that
there Port has put in place
a new registration fee of $75
per piece of equipment. One
member thought this number
could be staggering since
many ground equipment operators
have thousands of pieces
in use around the airport and
costs to taking the time to inspect
them all. This additional
cost factor rubs some operators
the wrong way since
each time Port imposes a new
charge some company has to
absorb it. It was said that some
airlines have yet to reimburse
the ground operators for the
additional costs incurred for
the minimum wage increases
and now this new fee is another
area of contention and
potential non-payment by airlines.
Jim Bliku of the security
committee said that there
have been remedies put in
place by Port security to mitigate
the delays for SIDA
badging and that at the upcoming
Port meeting this
would be discussed. What is
a surprise is that the long delays
for months in Customs’s
seal processing has actually
improved as the overall
badging has slowed down.
No explanation was given for
this. The customs seal process
has improved as the overall
workforce slowed.
It was mentioned that the
current Interline baggage
handling agreement expires
in 2021 there is there is time
to discuss the future of the
agreement.
Lemos reminded everyone
that the Kaamco dinner dance
is on November 15th. She also
spoke about the unity that organizations
provide when facing
potentially difficult situations
such as the runway
reconstruction. She stressed
the importance to have airport
organizations represent
the diverse needs of the community.
The JFK General Managers
Stakeholders Meeting followed
the Kaamco Meeting.
General Manager Charles
Everett said that they are busy
preparing for the FAA part
139 certification in addition to
considerations for approved
fare changes and the transition
of the credential system.
ARFF Deputy Fire Chief
Cole mentioned that it is National
Fire Prevention Week
by suggesting that the airport
community take safety
steps by “plan your Escape.”
He suggested that smoke detector
batteries be changed
yearly and the change to Eastern
Standard Time on November
3rd, is a good time to
remember to do so. Cole said
that we would be =gin to see
smoke from the end of the airport
field as the department as
training begins fire tests.
Continued to page 28