Council 94 has already filed an unfair labor practice complaint with the Rhode Island State Labor Relations Board, the union said.

“Firing a sitting union president, whose speech is protected by concerted activity, is illegal,” Council 94 President Michael McDonald said in a statement. “Council 94 will combat the airport’s illegal and harassing tactics, which violate federal and Rhode Island labor laws, in every available forum.”

RIAC’s announcement came weeks after Iftikhar Ahmad, RIAC’s president and CEO, denied allegations that his executives cultivated a toxic work environment and fueled staff turnover at the travel center. blamed union leaders and disgruntled workers for the toxicity among the 150 airport employees.

Ahmad and other RIAC officials also vowed to investigate and possibly prosecute those who interfere with the airport’s business, after saying a rumored employee walkout on Aug. 13 cost the airport airport hundreds of thousands of dollars just to have outside contractors there that day. should employees have stopped working.

Parent, president of Council 94 of Local 2873, the union representing about 113 employees, told the Globe Monday evening: he only learned of his possible dismissal after the RIAC issued a statement to reporters.

“The accusations are false and I will obviously fight these allegations vigorously,” Parent said.

After Tuesday’s hearing, Parent, who was recently re-elected president, said in an interview that he would continue to hold his union position and “exercise all his rights.”

“I am the president of the union and I oppose Iftikhar Ahmad. He doesn’t boss me around,” Parent said. “…I push back and suffer the wrath of this reaction.”

He added: “What they did, right, was they said to the rest of the rank and file of Local 2873, ‘We’ve got the guy at the top.’ So what do you think we can do for you? »

RIAC had alleged that Parent “repeatedly contacted potential candidates for employment with RIAC and discouraged them from working at the airport.”

These actions would have put the department at risk of failing to meet federal security requirements, the statement said, adding that those contacted by Parent “came forward to put his behavior in writing.”

RIAC officials also alleged that Parent admitted to calling potential employees.

“RIAC believes that as an officer of the department, he knowingly and willfully engaged in efforts to sabotage airport operations and violated his fiduciary responsibility,” the statement said. “As an officer of the department, his actions constitute serious misconduct.”

During that time, Parent earned more than $52,000 in overtime — money he collected by covering shifts left vacant because of vacancies within the department, officials say.

“As a lieutenant, he had direct influence over overtime scheduling and was thus able to direct these shifts and their accompanying payments to himself,” the statement said. “Moreover, Mr. Parent recently informed his superiors that he was carrying out this activity in a “personal” capacity and not as president of the union.

However, according to union members, when vacant shifts must be filled, overtime within the department is allocated by rotation and shifts are offered in order of seniority. Supervisors — including lieutenants — assign shifts and adhere to that system, members said.

The Globe obtained the two letters presented at Tuesday’s hearing in support of the RIAC’s decision to fire Parent.

One describes how Parent allegedly told a potential employee in March 2022: “’He didn’t know why anyone would want to work at the TF Green Airport Fire Department’ or something to that effect.

The other, dated Oct. 1, described an interaction Parent allegedly had in April when he asked someone if a new employee knew “what kind of environment are they coming into?”

McDonald said the union “will not stand idly by and allow our members to be publicly disparaged or disciplined without cause.”

“Council 94 will now take all appropriate contractual and/or legal measures to protect our RIAC members,” McDonald said.

Duc Nguyen, RIAC’s senior vice president of operations, said in a statement Tuesday that Parent’s termination “was due to his breach of fiduciary duties.”

“Council 94’s assertion that Mr. Parent should be allowed to engage in this behavior under the guise of ‘protected activity’ is a premise that the RIAC fundamentally rejects,” Nguyen said. “Union membership does not give us an ‘invisible cloak’ to disrupt our operations or our public mission.

Parent’s potential firing is the latest flare-up between RIAC leadership and TF Green staff.

Allegations about the airport’s work environment were included in several anonymous letters sent this summer to media outlets, public officials, airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration, saying employees would leave their jobs on Aug. 13 if no no action was taken to resolve these problems. as The Warwick Beacon first reported in August.

No workers ultimately walked out and Parent said that to his knowledge, no union member was responsible for the letters. Parent also pointed to a clause in the union’s collective agreement that prohibits union members from carrying out work stoppages.

Brittany Morgan, who heads RIAC’s legal affairs and human resources, said earlier this month that RIAC had hired a law firm to find out who was behind the letters and possibly take legal action against ” those who tortiously interfere with our commercial relations.”

Last month, the union also voted to reject a new three-year contract with RIAC, after the proposal would have removed grievance rights for changes to job descriptions.

McDonald said Tuesday the union does not condone or sanction any work stoppages and said it will “continue to negotiate in good faith.”

“RIAC has consistently acted in bad faith, signed contracts to replace workers, made unfounded allegations and spread rumors,” McDonald said. “Public transportation officials and the RIAC board owe a higher level of service and honesty to the public.”

Nguyen rejected these claims.

“None of these statements are true or accurate,” he said. “Regardless of today’s baseless claims, we will continue to negotiate in good faith at the bargaining table. »

This story was updated with new information after Tuesday’s hearing.

Christopher Gavin can be contacted at [email protected].