Glendora, CA – Airgas workers, members of Teamsters Local 848, announced that they will walk off the job this week in protest of the company’s alleged serial abuse of its employees since they voted to unionize in 2018. Airgas is a subsidiary of AirLiquide USA/AirLiquide, a multi-national corporation. Airgas truck drivers, gas cylinder fillers, loaders, and dispatchers will initiate the strike, which will impact operations at four company facilities in the cities of Burbank, Lynwood, Pomona, and Ventura.

“During the process of unionization, we went out of our way to accommodate Airgas and maintain an open line of communication,” said Eric Tate, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 848. “Rather than meeting us halfway, Airgas executives decided to create a hostile environment by engaging in a targeted campaign of abuse aimed at workers who voted for the union. What’s even more disturbing is that Airgas fired four employees for striking to protest this abuse, which continues to this very day. Our members aren’t going to stand for it any longer.”

In all, Airgas stands accused of violating 43 federal labor laws for willfully: 

  • Threatening to close a facility if employees voted for the union;
  • Threatening to withhold benefits, specifically raises, because employees joined the union;
  • Ordering employees to leave a facility for engaging in protected union activity;
  • Threatening police action against employees for protected union activity;
  • Interrogating employees about protected union activity;
  • Surveilling employees to determine union activity;
  • Promising wage increases if employees rejected the union; and
  • Firing four (4) employees for union activity.

Tom Tullius, Business Representative for Teamsters Local 848, remarked, “This isn’t just a fight over workers’ rights, it’s a battle over human rights. These workers show up to their job sites, day in and day out, and break their backs for Airgas. So, there’s no excuse for the increasingly aggressive behavior exhibited by a multi-billion-dollar corporation that has the means to take care of its people. Airgas was in the wrong when it fought to oppose unionization, but it doubled down on its mistake by continuing to bully employees.”