Charlotte airport workers voting on whether to strike during busy Thanksgiving travel week
Service workers at Charlotte Douglas International Airport are voting on whether to go on a 24-hour strike around Thanksgiving amid complaints about low wages and poor working conditions
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Service workers at Charlotte Douglas International Airport filled out paper ballots on a busy Friday before Thanksgiving to decide whether to go on a 24-hour strike during the holidays.
The vote is being taken by employees of ABM and Prospect Airport Services, which provide services like cleaning interiors of the planes, removing trash and escorting passengers in wheelchairs.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport said in a news release they were expecting approximately 1.02 million passengers departing between the Thursday and Monday before the holiday. The exact date of the proposed strike has not been announced.
Dorothy Griffin has been working for ABM for seven years and said she provides equipment for people to clean the cabins of planes between flights.
“We're voting on our strike because we're not treated fairly, we're not paid fairly," said Griffin. «We're not respected in our jobs. We just want higher and more wages and a little respect.”
Griffin said the workers have long complained about the working conditions, saying they don’t always have access to drinking water. Griffin said her wages are so low that she doesn’t have money to pay for repairs to her car.
“If we stop working, the airport is going to stop. The planes can’t go,” Griffin said.
ABM issued a statement saying that it would take steps to minimize disruptions from any demonstrations.
“At ABM, we appreciate the hard work our team members put in every day to support our clients and help keep spaces clean and people healthy,» the company said in
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