Andrew Melzer, left, and Michael Palmer, right, with Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight. Courtesy photos

In a legal development that could affect the airline industry, two Southwest Airlines employees have filed a class-action lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, alleging violations of New York and federal labor laws.

Richard Strain and David Garner, who serve as baggage and cargo handlers for the airline at New York airports, claim Southwest has violated New York Labor Law Section 191 by not paying them on a weekly basis. The case, filed Monday, seeks more than $100 million in damages on behalf of the airline workers and other class members.