Nearly 1,000 airline catering employees at San Francisco International Airport voted for a strike on Friday after negotiations over wage hikes and healthcare benefits stalled.
The ninety-nine .8 percent “yes” vote follows a preceding vote held in a smaller SFO kitchen on Tuesday, where some 500 employees permitted a strike with a ninety-nine .3 percent “yes” vote. Over the following weeks, airline catering staff in 20 other towns are anticipated to take similar ballots.
The employees are hired by two airline catering agencies—LSG Sky Chefs and Gate Gourmet—that primary service airlines like United, Delta, and American Airlines. They are represented by UNITE HERE Local Two and were in contract negotiations for a minimum of 2018.
However, a breakdown in the bargaining has compelled the negotiations into federal mediation, and airline catering personnel say that many are willing to strike to meet their demands for better wages and healthcare.
While the airline industry is booming—American Airlines, Delta, and United remodeled $50 billion in combined earnings in the final five years—employees at airport kitchens, which includes SFO, say they’re slightly getting by.
“I live paycheck to paycheck,” said Roberto Alvarez, who masses and unloads food and beverages on American Airlines planes at SFO.
Alvarez stated that he needed to borrow money from a friend to cover his hire after damage in April caused him to miss two work days.
“I can’t even assume of getting medical insurance,” he said. “I visit a free health facility for my scientific needs.”
The union said that the median salary for these employees is $18.Sixty-six.
Anand Singh, president of UNITE HERE Local two, stated that there is a sticking factor in the ongoing healthcare negotiations.
According to the union, much less than 50 percent of people at the SFO airline kitchens had employer health insurance in 2018. The best 10 percent had an infant or family member covered.
“Premiums are out of attaining for maximum folks — they range from $two hundred in step with month for an individual to $800 consistent with month for own family coverage,” stated Singh. “It’s simply inaccessible. Even when workers purchase health insurance through the businesses, they are left with significant co-bills.”
“Too many humans must depend upon public help; that’s unconscionable in the Bay Area, in an industry that racks up income year over year,” he stated.
Before a strike starts, the National Mediation Board must approve a launch for the people.
Sky Chefs stated in a Saturday declaration that it has “no confirmation of a proper request to the National Mediation Board for a release” and that the enterprise plans to preserve ongoing negotiations “in proper religion.”
“Our corporation values the hard work and dedication of our team contributors. Wages and other benefits, including holidays, uniforms, corporation-supplied meals, and health and welfare, contribute to the collective bargaining technique among our organization and their union representatives,” the employer said.
Gate Gourmet stated in an assertion on Friday that it also “keeps working in desirable religion with the Union and federally appointed mediator to make enhancements for our human beings across wages and benefits as we’ve got within the past.”
A spokesperson for American Airlines said in an announcement on Friday that the enterprise “respects the proper to lose association and collective bargaining.”
The spokesperson mentioned that the corporation is uninvolved in ongoing negotiations and does not “anticipate any impact on our catering operations.”
“As negotiations maintain, we can keep revealing the scenario,” the spokesperson said.
In a Friday declaration, United Airlines said, “It is our understanding that the parties are in mediation with the National Mediation Board. While we’re hopeful that the one’s discussions will result in a settlement, we’ve contingency plans in the vicinity to keep the revel in of our customers.”
