US airline catering workers prepare for mass strike action

IUF affiliates organizing thousands of airline catering workers in over 20 cities are balloting for strike action over the next two weeks in support of their demands for a living wage and affordable health insurance. UNITE HERE, IBT (Teamsters) and RWDSU represent workers employed primarily by the two largest catering companies, LSG Sky Chefs and Gate Gourmet.

“The airline industry is making record profits, on the backs of deeply exploited kitchen workers who are forced to choose between paying their bills, relying on government assistance or even forfeiting medical care even while working overtime”, said UNITE HERE International President D. Taylor.” We refuse to allow that to continue.”

Under the Railway Labor Act, catering and other airline workers must receive authorization to strike from the National Mediation Board, a federal agency. The strike vote by some 20,000 workers is the largest ever ballot for collective action by US airline catering workers.

Updates on the situation are regularly posted at AirportStrikeAlert.org