SECURITY WORKERS ORGANIZE AIRPORT CONTRACTOR TO ALLOW 700 TO VOTE ON UNION ISSUE.

Byline: Rick Orlov Staff Writer

The Los Angeles labor movement scored another victory on Tuesday in its efforts to organize workers, setting the stage for even more union activity this summer with negotiations on contracts affecting hundreds of thousands of workers.

The agreement by Argenbright Security Inc. to end a two-year labor dispute and allow an election by 700 of its workers next month could remove it as a target of the demonstrations - on issues ranging from unionism to free trade to abortion - expected against the backdrop of the Democratic National Convention in August.

``It could be quite the street theater,'' said Jack Kyser, chief economist of the Economic Development Corp. ``You will have all the world media here, so I wouldn't be surprised to see local labor disputes mingle with all the other demonstrations you would have at any political convention.''

Miguel Contreras, executive secretary-treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, didn't dispute that.

``I think, later this summer, you will see unions taking advantage of the media,'' Contreras said. ``And, I'm sure some unions, like the teachers union and the (Los Angeles) Police Protective League, will use the convention as a bargaining tool in their negotiations.''

There will be negotiations in the huge Los Angeles Unified School District, with its 75,000 teachers and classified employees, followed by bargaining for 40,000 Los Angeles County government workers, Contreras said.

``Naturally, we are focusing on the larger unions, but we also have efforts under way to unionize 1,400 recreation and parks (part-time) workers and the UCLA graduate students,'' Contreras said.

The county federation - an umbrella group representing nearly 400 unions and 800,000 workers - also has been approached by the Los Angeles Police Protective League for support in collective bargaining this summer for its 9,000 members.

``I'm sure they will be pointing to the convention as the reason for a quick settlement,'' Contreras said.

In addition, the unions are looking to organize about 28,000 workers at Los Angeles International Airport who are not now represented.

``Argenbright is significant because it serves as a symbol and a model to other contractors at LAX,'' Contreras said. ``Of the 50,000 workers at Los Angeles International Airport, about 22,000 of them are represented by unions.''

Kyser said the union movement's strategy of focusing on the lesser-paid workers, such as security workers and, earlier this year, janitors, has paid off.

At the same time, he said, it shows how the labor market is changing in Los Angeles.

``If you look at the aircraft-parts industry, it is really in decline,'' Kyser said. ``We have 52,000 people in the heavy-duty aircraft parts industry, but that's down by 7,800 this year alone. They aren't leaving the union, but the jobs are disappearing.''

But Contreras said there are growing numbers of ``invisible workers'' such as janitors and airport workers.

``These are the folks who are making minimum wage and need a way to get a leg up, to get the training and education needed,'' Contreras said.

Although he said he played no direct role in the Argenbright decision, he said he has helped influence the five-member Airport Commission, on which he serves, to be more supportive of union efforts.

``No one member can do this alone, but this commission does have a better understanding (than past commissions) on labor issues,'' Contreras said. ``I have been able to explain to them some of the issues, and they have been completely supportive.''

He cited recent contracts with H.W. Smith and some other companies that traditionally have been nonunion but agreed to union elections by their employees.

Argenbright owners had resisted allowing an election for more than two years, saying they wanted assurances that employees would not be pressured into joining the union.

Union leaders said the company was the one using pressure - to try to block unionizing efforts.

``We are not pro-union or anti-union,'' said Henry Anthony, senior vice president for the parent company that owns Argenbright. ``We are pro-employee and wanted to make sure a secret election will be conducted.''

Under the terms of the agreement, an election will be held June 30. If employees vote to join Service Employees International Union Local 1877, talks will begin immediately on a contract.

Also, Anthony said the outcome of that election will determine if a similar vote will be held for about 250 security screeners. It was decided to place them in a separate category because of the differences in hiring requirements.

Union leaders said their next effort after the election will be focused on other security firms at LAX.