This week in the war on workers: Philadelphia airport workers plan strike during DNC

[rug]

By Laura Clawson
Saturday Jul 23, 2016 · 6:56 PM EDT

On Tuesday, workers at the Philadelphia airport rallied ahead of a possible strike next week. The workers are trying to draw attention to their low wages—last year, they won $12 an hour and are now fighting to get to $15. And next week is a good time to get attention for their struggle, with the Democratic National Convention being held in Philadelphia.

On Tuesday, workers and supporters reiterated their intention to strike next week, promising to cause "as much disruption as possible." The union has authorized – by an overwhelming vote of 95 percent – a strike during the convention in Philadelphia.

As much as it’s a chance for workers to shine a light on their struggle, it’s a chance for DNC delegates and speakers to show their support for these workers. It’s a moment to say that the workers’ fight is part of the Democratic Party’s fight to improve wage and working conditions.

In this environment, anything that unions can do alone, with dwindling power, will be insufficient. The challenge for labor, at a moment of historic weakness, is to figure out how unions can support and be involved in movements and campaigns that expand, rather than narrow, the scope and scale of what we are organizing and bargaining for. It may seem counterintuitive, but it is thinking bigger and broadening our vision, goals, and demands—even at a moment of weakness—that offers a path to resurgent unions and a more equal and just country and world.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/7/23/1550552/-This-week-in-the-war-on-workers-Philadelphia-airport-workers-plan-strike-during-DNC

http://www.seiu32bj.org/press-releases/philadelphia-airport-workers-vote-strike-dnc/

[seabeckind]

1. Boom times for big US airlines: $3.9 billion in 2Q profits

A related story. We subsidize the airport operations, build all the infrastructure to enable the airlines operations,

profits everywhere but for the workers who make it all work.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141527612

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2. Thanks for the link. It underscores their need for a union.

[BumRushDaShow]

3. More on these folks

from AFSCME -

“If the Democratic National Convention is their opportunity to leverage their collective voice to ensure that they can provide a quality life for their families, that’s a positive strategic move,” he states.

Many airport jobs that were once union jobs have been subcontracted out to non-union companies. Now the baggage handlers, aircraft cleaners and others are trying to organize with the Service Employees International Union.

The majority of low-wage airport service workers are African-American. Johnson notes that most of the benefits of the economic recovery have gone to high earners, while the majority of Americans are still feeling economic pain.

http://www.dc47union.org/unions-community-leaders-focus-on-low-wage-black-workers/