AFSCME member who kept a Rhode Island airport running is reinstated

Two years ago, Fire Lieutenant Steven Parent, president of Local 2873 (Rhode Island Council 94), who helps keep T.F. Green International Airport running safely, was wrongly fired. Now, an arbitrator says Parent can return to work and is entitled to back pay and benefits.  

Arbitrator Sheila Mayberry concluded in her September 15 ruling that Parent was entitled to reinstatement with the Rhode Island Airport Corporation (RIAC).  

“In terminating the grievant, RIAC disregarded almost every principle of just cause,” Mayberry wrote. 

The arbitrator ordered RIAC to reinstate Parent and provide back pay and lost benefits – which Parent said could total as much as $350,000, according to the Rhode Island Current.  

But it remains unclear when and if Parent can return to work. That may hinge on the outcome of a lawsuit management filed last year, asking the court for a declaratory judgment that Parent cannot be reinstated.  

There was longstanding friction between RIAC and the AFSCME members who work at T.F. Green. Members of Local 2873 include police officers and firefighters, like Parent, who work at Rhode Island’s largest airport.  

Last year, they unanimously voted no confidence in management amid contentious contract negotiations with RIAC.   

A three-year contract was eventually approved in March 2025 after months of talks, and it provided raises and bonuses.  

Public safety professionals are increasingly turning to AFSCME to build power at work, advocate for safety, secure better wages, improve health care benefits and ensure a stable retirement. AFSCME members in corrections, law enforcement and emergency response defend our freedoms and those of the communities we serve.