A group of service staff at Charlotte Douglas International Airport
(CLT) has gone on strike this week, right ahead of the busy Thanksgiving holiday.
Service strike in Charlotte
A mere weeks after staff at Boeing ended a major strike, a smaller one has started at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT). According to reports, a group of service staff at the airport has gone on strike. This includes airplane cleaning staff and those who assist passengers needing wheelchairs.
Photo: BONDART PHOTOGRAPHY | Shutterstock
The employees on strike are part of the Service Employees International Union and work for ABM and Prospect Airport Services. Early today, the union shared a statement that it expected the strike to last 24 hours. Both companies are service providers for American Airlines, which is the largest airline at CLT.
The vote to strike took place on Friday night, with workers striking over low wages, with many having brought complaints to the unions that they live paycheck to paycheck. Most of these employees earn between $12.50 and $19 per hour and are unable to afford basic things like groceries and housing. The union told ABC News,
“Airport service workers make holiday travel by keeping airports safe, clean, and running. Despite their critical role in the profits that major corporations enjoy, many airport service workers must work two to three jobs to make ends meet.”
Speaking on the strike vote, Dorothy Griffin, who has worked for ABM for seven years, said,
“We’re voting on our strike because we’re not treated fairly, we’re not paid fairly. We’re not respected in our jobs. We just want higher and more wages and a little respect.”
Griffin added that the staff has complained several times and that sometimes there is no access to drinking water. On Friday, ABM said it would take steps to minimize the disruption should a strike be approved.
Related
Boeing Delivers Only 14 Planes In October & Warns Of Further Production Delays After Strike
While all striking machinists returned to Boeing’s facilities on November 12, the company is now facing a bumpy road to restart production.
American Airlines’ operations
According to Flightaware, there was minimal impact to American’s operations today, Just over 30 flights had been delayed by the afternoon. The airline said,
“American is ready to take care of our customers this Thanksgiving holiday. There is no current impact to our customers or operation at Chearlotte Douglas International Airport as a result of ABM or Prospect staffing, and we don’t expect any significant disruption this week. WE remain in close coordination with ABM and Prospect as they closely mitigate any potential impact.”
Photo: Charlotte Int’l Airport, CLT Newsroom
Charlotte is a crucial hub for American and its operations in the South. According to data from Cirium, an aviation analytics firm, American has more than 1,400 daily movements at CLT. Today and tomorrow there are 1,424 flights, and Wednesday decreases slightly. Thursday, which is Thanksgiving day, has a massive drop, down to 468 operations. The weekend will be as busy as the first few days of the week.
Between Monday, November 25, and Monday, December 2, American has more than 10,000 flights scheduled at CLT. This totals more than 1.3 million seats. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) shared last week that this Thanksgiving is expected to be the busiest ever. More than 18.3 million people are expected to travel over the span of six days.
Related
American Airlines Ready For Thanksgiving And Travel Tuesday
American Airlines is expecting a very busy holiday period, but it is reassuring customers it is well prepared for the rush.