Charlotte Airport Workers Initiate Strike Over Wages and Practices
On Monday, service employees at Charlotte Douglas International Airport ceased work to voice their grievances concerning low pay and unjust workplace practices.
These workers are employed by American Airlines subcontractors, ABM and Prospect Airport Services, undertaking vital roles such as cleaning aircraft interiors, handling waste disposal, and assisting wheelchair-bound passengers. They had agreed on a 24-hour strike last Friday.
Represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the workers aim to put an end to inadequate pay and seek respect at their workplaces during the peak travel time of the holiday season, as stated by SEIU in a Monday announcement. A representative from SEIU, which represents nearly 700 employees at the airport, confirmed this to The Charlotte Ledger.
The day’s agenda included a rally in the late morning and a “Strikesgiving” lunch, which was organized to highlight the economic struggles that prevent many workers from affording a Thanksgiving meal later in the week. WCNC Charlotte reported early Monday morning sightings of workers picketing with signs proclaiming “Poverty Doesn’t Fly” and “Respect Black and Brown Workers.”
The strike poses a potential disruption, especially as the airport is expecting to handle over a million travelers from the past Thursday through the Monday after Thanksgiving.
The union has circulated a statement to the media indicating that most workers are paid between $12.50 and $19 per hour, a rate they deem insufficient.
According to calculations from the Living Wage Calculator by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the living wage for a single adult without children in the Charlotte metropolitan area is $23.26 per hour.
“We’re striking today because we’re left with no other choice. We can’t continue living under these conditions,” stated Priscilla Hoyle, an ABM cabin cleaner, according to CBS News. “We are compelled to take action because our families are struggling to survive.”
On Friday, workers demonstrated to publicize their cause. During the demonstration, one employee shared with local media that he currently resides in a storage unit as his wages do not cover the cost of renting a one- or two-bedroom apartment.
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