Vol. 79/No. 44      December 7, 2015

 

Airport workers strike in 7 cities for $15 and union

 
 
NEW YORK — “Stand up! Fight back!” rang out at seven U.S. airports as contract workers walked off the job in a 24-hour strike Nov. 18-19 to win support for their fight for $15 an hour, union contracts and respect. Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ organized the strike and solidarity actions.

At New York’s JFK airport, strikers from contract companies Roma Cleaning and Ultimate Aircraft were joined at a Nov. 19 rally by 32BJ building maintenance workers, fast-food workers active in Fight for $15 and Walmart workers, including a delegation from several cities in town for protests at the home of Alice Walton, one of Walmart’s owners.

“Even for me, a single guy with no kids, $10.10 an hour is not enough,” said Jose Cruz, a cleaner at Ultimate. “I can’t imagine the people who have kids. We need benefits, and not just the ‘go-to-the-doctor-once-a-year’ plan.”

Walkouts also took place at LaGuardia Airport and in Boston; Newark, New Jersey; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Chicago; and Philadelphia.

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PHILADELPHIA — “We’re tired of the disrespect and intimidation,” said Onetha McNight, a wheelchair attendant on the picket line here, as she struck with hundreds of exuberant airport workers and supporters. McNight’s pay was recently raised from $5.75 to $8.40 an hour, far below the $12 an hour mandated by law and the $15 workers demand.

“I work. I sweat. Put $15 in my check!” chanted the pickets.

In May 2014 Mayor Michael Nutter signed an executive order that would increase the minimum wage for airport workers to $12 an hour, but strikers say many wheelchair attendants have not gotten that raise.

“It is still not where we need to be at,” said Montrell Groves, a baggage handler. He receives $12, but several contractors still do not pay that wage.

A group of students from Widener College joined the picket line. “This is real life,” said Zonanab Adeliran. “I want better wages for all these workers.”

Several Philadelphia City Council members and Mayor-elect Jim Kenney attended the protest.

Socialist Workers Party candidates Osborne Hart and John Staggs, who ran for mayor and City Council in the Nov. 3 election, joined the picket lines along with fellow Walmart workers.

After picketing at the airport the strikers marched to the contractors’ headquarters about a mile from the terminal, where striking workers and union representatives met with company representatives to demand the $12 minimum wage be implemented.
 
 
Related articles:
Wis. UAW members: ‘Two-tier pay has to go!’
1,500 Kohler strikers, supporters march & rally
Verizon unionists rally against concession demands
On the Picket Line
 
 
 
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