CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As airports across the country prepare for spring break and summer travel seasons, airline workers at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) are demanding better compensation for the work they do.
They're counting on the CEOs of the major airlines like Delta, United, and American to help make the change.
A protest at the airport Wednesday afternoon included those who work in vital roles like baggage handlers, cabin cleaners and janitorial staff that say they typically make $12 to $15 an hour.
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“We have employees living in cars, sleeping in shelters and they don’t make enough money," airline worker Donielle Prophet said. "We’re the front-line workers."
New research from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) shows most of the airline workers in these underpaid roles are people of color who often don't have health insurance.
“I don’t really think it’s fair that we don’t have healthcare for any of it if something happens," one airline worker shared.
Airport workers are calling on each airline CEO to put in writing their commitment to take responsibility for the largely Black, brown and immigrant service workforce and acknowledge the airline has the ability and responsibility to end poverty-level jobs and inequity throughout its system.
“We want them to raise the standard because they’re making millions of dollars," Prophet said. "They’re getting money from the federal government and they’re not trickling it down to their employees.”
The employees believe their hard work should be rewarded.
“We’re just here to tell the airlines that we’re here, that we work for them and we deserve better," airline worker Lashonda said.
More than 20 other cities including Phoenix, Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C., and San Francisco also planned rallies on Wednesday as part of the National Day of Action.
Contact Briana Harper at bharper@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.