WFS goes sustainable with biodegradable
plastics.
The October JFK Air Cargo Assn. luncheon with guest speaker Tim Strauss, VP Cargo Air Canada ( middle) with
board members (from left) Mike Peza, Phil Jensen, Laura Cascino, John Ryan, Tim Strauss, Mike Bednarz, Dayna
Harap, Pete DeBenigno, Jim Burnett.
AIRPORT VOICE, NOVEMBER 2019 21
JFK WORKERS STRIKE
OVER RIGHT TO ORGANIZE
Employees of Eulen America,
a subcontractor at Terminal 8 at
John F. Kennedy International Airport,
walked off the job to demand
that their employer, Eulen America,
treat workers with respect.
The baggage handlers, FIS (Federal
Inspection Services) agents,
passenger verification agents and
wheelchair agents went on strike
to protest the company violating
workers’ right to organize by intimidating,
coercing, disrespecting
and spying on workers on the job.
“Managers, when they suspect
we have been organizing, corner
and interrogate us,” Lasonia
Whervin, wheelchair agent for Eulen
said. “They say bad things about
the union. But we know the truth:
a union is our best path to good
health insurance, better pay and
paid vacation.”
Eulen employees at JFK held
public events on Monday October
21 with Council Member Adrienne
Adams, Council Member Francisco
Moya, Council Member Jimmy Van
Bramer, Assembly Member Brian
Barnwell, Assembly Member Aravella
Simotas, Assembly Member
Michelle Solages, Assembly Member
Jaime Williams and Alicia Hyndman.
The group called on Eulen to
respect workers’ rights.
Elected officials addressed workers
at the picket line. “When we
stood on the steps of City Hall a few
weeks ago, we told Eulen we’d be
back,” said Council Member Adrienne
Adams during a rally. “We
don’t want to be back under these
horrible circumstances, but we’ll
fight until they hear us and do right
by the workers.”
“It’s shameful that this company
comes here and doesn’t respect the
right to organize by using intimidation
tactics.
WFS uses sustainable plastic
Cargo handler goes biodegradable
Worldwide Flight Services
(WFS) is the first major air cargo
industry company to begin converting
the majority of plastic products
used in its cargo handling operations
over to the BioNatur™ Plastics
line of sustainable products
manufactured by M&G Packaging.
BioNatur™ Plastic is a growing line
of biodegradable plastic products
manufactured with proprietary formulations
that make them the most
sustainable plastic options available.
Investing in the new products
is part of WFS’ global sustainability
programme.“Worldwide Flight Services
is excited to be the first major
customer of these environmentallyfriendly
products in the air cargo
industry,” said Mike Simpson, WFS
Executive Vice President for the
Americas. “WFS uses the equivalent
of more than 27 million plastic
water bottles a year in protective
plastic sheeting and wrap so with
this commitment we can make a
significant contribution to the environment.
We are thrilled to finally
have a product that ensures this
plastic will not languish in a landfill
for decades.”BioNatur™ Plastic
is manufactured with a blend of
resins including traditional LDPE
and a propriety, natural, plantbased
biopolymer. The resulting
blends are biodegradable in a landfill
environment and significantly
reduce fossil fuel-based plastic usage
and greenhouse gas generation.
Performance testing demonstrated
the BioNatur™ product to have a
long shelf life with higher strength
and puncture-resistance than polyethyleneplastic
alone. This proprietary
blend also uses significantly
less oil-based resin than current
plastic products, using less material
overall while maintaining or
improving performance.“M&G
Packaging has always been a leader
in developing ‘green’ products that
the air cargo industry needs,” said
M&G president Charles Rick.
JFK Air Cargo Association Luncheon
Air Canada’s Tim Strauss talks AI, Drones.
The November JFK Air
Cargo Association (JFKACA)
luncheon began on a somber
note as members shared moment
of silence for past President
Joe Badamo who recently
passed. Joe was an air
cargo professional at JFK for
decades and amassed many
friends and ran the JFKACA
for years. He will be missed.
VP Mike Bednarz of the
Port Authority moderated the
luncheon Which guest featured
Tim Strauss of Air Canada
cargo who spoke about a
couple of new initiatives at Air
Canada: artificial intelligence
and drones, both of which
are being tested for effectiveness
and new directions in air
cargo deliveries.
Strauss told the guests that
AI is being used at Air Canada
to more accurately analyze
the air cargo scheduling in order
to maximize the available
space aboard aircraft and also
to pinpoint the cargo cancellations.
Having this information
helps the sales people at Air
Canada assist their customers
in determining why this happens
and figuring out ways to
help their customers smooth
out their needs. He said that
his company has done initial
testing with AI and anticipates
that will increase the
bottom line by about $30 million
dollars when rolled out.
Strauss spoke about drone
air cargo that is currently
taking place in Canada with
Air Canada as a partner
with Drone Delivery Canada
(DDC).
DDC is a pioneering technology
firm based out of Toronto,
Canada with a focus
on designing, developing and
implementing a commercially
viable drone delivery system
within the Canadian geography.
Air Canada has obtained
the rights for commercial
drone air routes in Canada
and will work with DDC to
help market and sell drone
delivery services. Under the
terms of the deal, Air Canada
Cargo will market and sell
drone delivery services across
Canada.The initial term of the
agreement with Air Canada is
for 10 years.
Air Canada is collaborating
with DDC on this program
that will bring deliveries
from a few pounds to a
thousand pounds to customers
with differing types of
drone aircraft which include
larger fixed wing models.
Strauss said , “ this delivery
system is outside the normal
scope of what we normally
consider air cargo” but sees
incredible growth moving
forward. Strauss sees the actual
implementation of the
program in the third quarter
of 2020 and sees 80% growth
for Air Canada over the next
7 years. Air Canada will
partner with forwarders to
bring this new type of delivery
to the marketplace.
At the close of the meeting
moderator Bednarz reminded
everyone that the
next meeting on November
21 will feature Andy Kirchner
of Delta Cargo as guest
speaker at the Crowne Plaza
Hotel, 9th fl.. The JFKACA
holiday party will be on December
6th at the Lawrence
Country Club.
32BJ VP Shirley Aldebol interacts with
the crowd as Manual Silva from Councilman
Donovan Richards office and Lisa
George from Senator Sanders office offer
support.