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

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

The RIAC announcement came weeks after Iftikhar Ahmad, president and CEO of the RIAC, denied allegations that his leadership had cultivated a toxic work environment and encouraged employee turnover at the travel center, and in its place 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 sue those who are interfering with the airport’s business, after they said a rumored employee strike on August 13 cost the airport hundreds of thousands of dollars, just for the presence of external contractors that day. in case the employees had stopped working.

Parent, president of Council 94 of Local 2873, the union that represents approximately 113 employees, told the Globe Monday night. He learned of his possible dismissal only after the RIAC issued a statement to journalists.

“The charges are false and I’m obviously going to vigorously fight … the allegations,” Parent said.

After Tuesday’s hearing, Parent, who was recently re-elected president, said in an interview that he will continue to serve in his union role and “exercise all of my rights.”

“I sit as president of the union and reject Iftikhar Ahmad. “He doesn’t lead me,” Parent said. “…I recoil and am suffering the wrath of recoil.”

He added: “What they’ve done, well, is tell 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 to you?’”

The RIAC had alleged that Parent “repeatedly contacted potential candidates to work at the RIAC and discouraged them from working at the airport.”

Those actions allegedly put the department at risk of not meeting federal security requirements, according to the statement, adding that the people Parent contacted “have come forward to put their behavior in writing.”

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

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

During that time, Parent earned more than $52,000 in overtime pay, money he collected as a result of filling shifts that were left vacant due to empty positions within the department, according to officials.

“As a lieutenant, he had direct influence on the scheduling of overtime shifts and could therefore direct these shifts and the corresponding payments to himself,” the statement said. “In addition, Mr. Parent recently informed his superiors that he was carrying out this activity in his personal capacity and not as union president.”

However, according to union members, when vacant shifts need to be filled, overtime within the department is assigned on a rotating basis 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 to support the RIAC’s decision to fire Parent.

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

The other, dated Oct. 1, described an interaction Parent allegedly had in April when he asked someone if an incoming employee knew “what kind of environment he’s walking into?”

McDonald said the union “will not stand by and allow our members to be publicly belittled or disciplined for no reason.”

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

Duc Nguyen, senior vice president of operations at RIAC, said in a statement Tuesday that Parent’s firing “was due to his failure to fulfill his fiduciary obligations.”

“Council 94’s assertion that Mr. Parent should be permitted 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 provide anyone with an ‘invisible cloak’ to disrupt our operations or our public mission.”

Parent’s possible firing is the latest confrontation between RIAC leaders and the TF Green workforce.

Allegations about the airport’s work environment were included in several anonymous letters sent to media outlets, public officials, airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration this summer that stated employees would leave their jobs on August 13 if they did not take measures to address those problems. as Warwick Beacon first reported in August.

In the end, no workers left, and Parent has said he is not aware of any union members being responsible for the letters. Parent has also pointed out a clause in the union contract that prohibits union members from holding work stoppages.

Brittany Morgan, who heads RIAC’s legal affairs and human resources, said earlier this month that RIAC hired a law firm to find out who was behind the letters and possibly pursue litigation against “those who are crookedly interfering.” with our commercial relationships.

Last month, the union also voted to reject a new three-year contract with the RIAC, after the proposal had eliminated grievance rights when job descriptions are changed.

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

“The RIAC has consistently acted in bad faith, executed contracts to replace workers, made unfounded accusations 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 those claims.

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

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

You can contact Christopher Gavin at [email protected].