Workers on Strike at 7 U.S. Airports

November 19, 2015 - Advisors, Featured - Tagged: , - no comments

About 2,000 baggage handlers, cabin and airport cleaners went on strike last night at seven U.S. airports, according to CNN Money.

Affected airports include New York area John F. Kennedy, LaGuardia, and Newark airports; Boston’s Logan; Philadelphia; Chicago O’Hare; and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood in Florida.


As of 9:00 a.m., Flight Aware’s Misery Map reported more than 200 delays, with more than 30 at Chicago O’Hare and more than 15 at JFK.

NBC News reports that JetBlue and United say they have plans to ensure passengers are not “significantly affected,” while according to Reuters, American and Delta don’t expect any significant impact either as the strike does not involve pilots or flight attendants. Also, in-house baggage handlers are not taking part in the strike.

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) employees do not work directly for airlines but for businesses which are subcontracted by Delta, United, JetBlue, and more. They are seeking $15 per hour and medical benefits, up from $10.10, which some receive to check plane interiors for suspicious objects.

The strike is expected to run through Thursday.