Days after the abrupt departure of a veteran law-enforcement officer selected to be chief of police at Green Airport, airport police and firefighter members of the local union unanimously took a no-confidence vote against Rhode Island Airport Corporation president and CEO Iftikhar Ahmad and airport management.

“The recent resignation of Public Safety Director Joseph M. Perkins speaks to the hostile work environment created and condoned by CEO Iftikhar Ahmad,” reads a statement released Thursday by Steven Parent, president of Local 2873, RI Council 94 American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO.

Parent, who was fired by RIAC last fall, continues to represent union members working at the airport in negotiations that have yet to reach a contract. The parties are hung up over wording that would give RIAC the power to change job classifications without recourse.

After attending a RIAC directors meeting last week, Perkins tendered his resignation to State Police Col. Darnell Weaver. As reported by WPRI, Perkins messaged his co-workers he was leaving and that RIAC was looking to dismantle the department. RIAC denies it is looking to drive out the department and the union.

The vote of no confidence is the latest in stories about Ahmad’s management style and the departure of high level employees since he came to Rhode Island from Louis Armstrong Airport in New Orleans nine years ago.  

 “Under CEO Ahmad’s tenure, over 60 non-union employees were terminated or left RIAC, had over four different police chiefs, and the Police Department is running 10 officers short in violation of a grievance settlement.  CEO Ahmad’s hostile churn and burn management must cease,” reads the union release.

RIAC spokesman Bill Fischer responded to union allegations:

‘Pure theater,’ says RIAC

“The union’s no confidence vote is pure theater intended to generate leverage at the negotiating table and nothing more. We have been negotiating in good faith for many months. It’s time that union leaders put forth a meaningful effort to finalize a contract,” Fischer asserted.

The statement goes on to call the vote a public-relations stunt that won’t “pressure RIAC to make poor decisions at the negotiating table.”

Fischer said, “RIAC management remains focused on its mission and will not be distracted nor impacted by baseless and untrue accusations.”

He added, “RIAC’s union employees are compensated extremely well in both pay and benefits.”

Parent disclosed that the union filed a class-action grievance to contest the Airport Police Department’s persistent understaffing. In an interview he said the department had more personnel before the pandemic. He said it was reasonably reduced during the pandemic and now 17 officers are covering not only the terminal but all RIAC buildings, garages and property. Usually a shift calls for a lieutenant, sergeant and four patrol officers. He said the department sometimes operates with only two officers even though, as RIAC reported last week, passenger traffic at Green has exceeded 2019 levels.

Parent hopes the vote of no confidence will bring public awareness of what happening at the airport.

“We want to make sure public safety is upheld at the airport,” he said.

If RIAC is not overseeing law enforcement at the airport, who should?

“We would have more comfort with the Rhode Island Department of Public Safety,” Parent said.  

‘Illegal acts,’ says union

 Michael McDonald, President of Council 94, is quoted as saying, “CEO Ahmad’s illegal acts of releasing confidential personnel records, termination of a union president, unfounded accusations against employees and bad faith are unacceptable.”

McDonald’s reference to the release of confidential records refers to an Oct. 1 press conference in which Ahmad disclosed the RIAC board had hired an attorney to hunt down the author(s) of anonymous letters to public officials, airlines, FAA and media calling on the governor to terminate Ahmad or union employees would walk off their jobs on Aug. 13 effectively closing the airport.

To support his claims that employees voluntarily left their jobs or were justifiably fired, Ahmad pointed to a bundle of personnel files and invited reporters to go through them.

“While Local 2873 members will continue working so that airport operations run smoothly, the union will increase communicating RIAC’s bad-faith actions to the public, RIAC board members and political leaders.  Council 94 will continue to fight to ensure CEO Ahmad provides a fair contract, dignity and respect to our members in all available forums,” McDonald said.

Parent was fired Oct. 29, 2024 for allegedly discouraging a prospective applicant from applying to the airport Fire Department, gaining access to an unauthorized area at the airport and having “criminally trespassed” on Nov. 1 when he went to his former desk to obtain his personal copy of the union contract.

Council 94 represents more than 10,000 active and retired state, municipal and private-sector employees.

Putting a positive spin on the RIAC release, Fischer wrote, “The good news is Rhode Islanders can and should have every confidence in the leadership of the Rhode Island Airport Corporation. Every single metric confirms the airport is headed in the right direction. Rhode Islanders have more direct flight options than ever before and at competitive rates. The airport is fiscally sound with strong management as indicated by various rating agencies. Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport is coming off a record year with over 4 million passengers boosting Rhode Island’s tourism and economy.”

He said there would be an announcement this week of international flights at Green.