Chicago airport workers walk out

Scan page 4

Wing employees of hours worked, especially overtime on their paychecks. She also described unsafe working CHICAGO—On Nov. 29, about 500 courageous low- conditions and hazards widespread throughout the air­ wage workers at O’Hare airport walked off the job at port. “We are treated like the garbage we clean in the 10 a.m. to demand an end to unfair labor practices. The planes,” said Rivera: “We’re not asking for special treat­ workers also expressed their solidarity with fast-food, ment, we’re asking for decent treatment. We’re asking hospital, health-care, and other low-wage workers who for decent wages. We’re asking—No! We are demanding were simultaneously demonstrating nationwide for a Another activist, Oliwia Pac, who works several service “Fight for $15” protests took place in more than 340 jobs for Prospect Airport Services, spoke to the crowd cities across the country. Concurrent rallies were held in about the unity and determination of airport workers: 18 other airports around the country, including Boston, “Over the last three years workers like me have been Washington, D.C., Denver, Atlanta, Seattle, Los Angeles, building a movement for $15 and union rights. And now we are on strike after employers retaliated against us for Chicago’s striking airport baggage handlers, cabin cleaners, janitors, and wheelchair attendants were “While airlines are raking in billions, the workers who joined by supporters, overwhelmingly local union mem­ are keeping the airport running can barely make ends bers, in a militant protest of about 2000 outside the meet, and every day workers face serious problems. … airport’s departure entrance. Rally speakers called out We brought to light rampant wage theft across the air­ airport and city government refusal to take action to port as well as hazardous and unsafe conditions. I’ve correct widespread abuse of low-wage airport workers, had my wages stolen. I’ve been injured on the job. It’s most of whom are earning Chicago’s minimum wage of unacceptable. A world class airport should treat its workers with respect, and protect our rights. ... A world For the past year, low-wage workers at the nation’s second busiest airport have been supported by Service “But so far the airport has not been listening to us, and Employees International Union (SEIU), building their the city has failed to protect us against an employer that case for $15 and a union and fighting against a campaign retaliates against us. The result [the strike vote] shows of employer retaliation against worker organizers. Low- we are ready to take matters into our own hands. We wage workers at the airport typically work for Air Scrub can’t rely on our employers, we definitely can’t rely on Inc., Prospect Airport Services, Air Serv, or the city of Chicago, which provide contract labor services to the Prior to the rally, SEIU Local 1 President Tom Balanoff told Socialist Action that the union was committed to Union activist Kisha Rivera, 41, an airplane cabin stand by the airport workers to counter the inaction of cleaner, explained the plight of the O’Hare workers the airport and the city: “There are thousands of workers when she addressed the airport rally. She described a here who work in poverty, they don’t earn living wages. pattern of employer abuse including wage theft—short­ The airlines have been very successful. …The workers $15 minimum wage and union rights.

and Newark. $10.50 per hour. airport and the various airlines. respect!” coming together. class airport should pay its workers a living wage. ...

the city to protect us. We can only rely on ourselves!”

hour.” against any reprisals. in the U.S., while Hoffa bare­ ers from Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 571. judge denied Air Serv’s motion.

Their laundry list of take-back de­