More than 200 food and service workers are planning a protest at San Francisco International Airport on Wednesday over higher wages and health care.
"Airport employers are cheating their employees out of health care that workers need more than ever," said Anand Singh, President of Unite Here Local 2. "These greedy companies will stop at nothing just to pad their profits – even union-busting to avoid giving workers family health care. With COVID on the upswing, airport workers are going to fight back to get the health care they deserve."
The demonstration will take place at the departure levels of terminals 1 and 3, according to the union representing some of the workers, Unite Here Local 2.
Protestors will picket from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. during what is expected to be an incredibly busy travel day with people trying to reach their destinations in time for the Thanksgiving holiday.
The workers striking are food service workers, including those who work for airline catering company Sky Chefs, a subsidiary of LSG Group, or LSG Lufthansa Service Holding AG.
While these workers have been struggling since the pandemic began, restaurant owners and Sky Chefs are taking advantage of loopholes in order to deny their workers affordable healthcare, the union alleges.
"Many of the airport food service workers need to work two airport jobs so they can have enough hours for healthcare and make ends meet," the union wrote in a release on Wednesday. "These workers have not had a raise since 2018. ENOUGH!"
According to the union, Sky Chefs moved its operations to San Jose in order to avoid San Francisco’s policies requiring certain wages and healthcare benefits, but continues to work with SFO.
The union also alleges that the airport’s restaurant owners have made it difficult for workers to elect for union membership.
According to SFO spokesperson Doug Yakel, airport officials have issued a permit to United Here Local 2 to exercise free speech.
By providing a permit, airport officials hope to, "provide a platform for the permittee to communicate their message to the public," Yakel wrote in an email to KCBS Radio, and to "ensure passengers are free to move through the airport without impediment."
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