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Vol. 79/No. 44 December 7, 2015
Airport workers strike in 7 cities for $15 and union
BY CANDACE WAGNER
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.
❖
BY CHRIS HOEPPNER
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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