WARWICK – Pinnacle Logistics LLC will cease operations at T.F. Green Airport on July 31, the R.I. Airport Corp. confirmed Friday, laying off 149 employees.
The company had been Amazon.com Inc.’s sole logistics company at the airport, where much of the cargo related to its Fall River fulfillment center was handled. Amazon confirmed that planes connected to its operations, dubbed Prime Air, will no longer be flying into the airport.
“Obviously, we are disappointed with this news, but understand aviation is an uncertain market and it is not uncommon for both cargo and passenger airlines to make market adjustments.” RIAC said in a statement. “We hope to have a future opportunity to convince them to come back to T.F. Green.”
In a statement issued to PBN Friday, an Amazon spokesperson said, “We are always evaluating our operations and want to thank the T.F. Green Airport and the entire community for their partnership and support,” but declined to say where the company’s shipping operations are shifting in the region.
Cargo traffic related to Amazon had more than doubled the airport’s cargo processing year over year in RIAC’s most recent report to almost 6 million pounds.
Pinnacle filed a notice to the R.I. Department of Labor and Training that it would be laying off the 149 employees.
Pinnacle had said when it arrived in Rhode Island that between its operations in Warwick and at Quonset Business Park in North Kingstown, it would hire up to 300 employees. It received no state incentives.
The company did not say where it was shifting its shipping operations to in the region.
In November the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 251 filed a complaint against Pinnacle with the National Labor Relations Board alleging that Pinnacle fired employees who were trying to unionize. The case was settled.
According to WPRI-TV, CBS 12, the Teamsters filed another complaint Friday, alleging that the company was ceasing operations to retaliate against attempts to unionize. According to WPRI, Amazon is moving its freight operation to Bradley International Airport near Hartford, Conn.
Chris Bergenheim is the PBN web editor.
A major blow to T.F. Green as landing fees, jet fuel sales and ancillary jobs go out the window. Amazon and it affiliates are not to be intimidated by unions and here is the proof. Another black eye for Rhode Island.