November 19, 2015
Brian Hickey/PhillyVoice
Workers on strike rally outside Philadelphia International Airport on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2015.
As the busy Thanksgiving travel weekend approaches, droves of baggage, wheelchair and other contract workers at Philadelphia International Airport went on strike Wednesday night over pay and fair treatment issues.
On Thursday, that manifested itself as strikers marching outside Terminals B and C while drummers and speakers drew attention to their complaints. Mayor-elect Jim Kenney was there around noon to show support for the workers.
“They’re working off tips, doing difficult jobs, and they’re being treated poorly by people who are working at our city-owned airport,” Kenney said while shaking hands and posing for photos with the strikers from Service Employees International Union 32BJ.
“This is not a coal mine in Pennsylvania back in the 1930s. This is Philadelphia, Pa., USA, almost 2016.” – Mayor-elect Jim Kenney
Kenney noted that once he’s inaugurated on Jan. 4 and has a city solicitor in place, “we’re going to figure out what options we have to move against Primeflight and some of these other companies that are just basically thumbing their nose at everybody because they think they can.
“These subcontractors understand what the law is and they just want to abuse these folks, and when they stand up for their rights, they’re fired, treated badly, threatened with bad work shifts, shorter hours,” he continued. “This is not a coal mine in Pennsylvania back in the 1930s. This is Philadelphia, Pa., USA, almost 2016.”
Noting that he stops by picket lines with regularity – an effect of the fact that he was a “middle-class blue-collar person who would have had nothing unless my father was a unionized firefighter” – Kenney said the right to collectively bargain with employers for “fair wages and benefits” is at the heart of the issue.
“This airport is owned by the citizens of Philadelphia, not Primeflight, not McGinn [Security], not American Airlines. It’s owned by the citizens and taxpayers of Philadelphia,” he told a cheering crowd. “We passed a law requiring a $12-an-hour wage and they’re going to follow that law come Jan. 4, 2016. Things are going to change around here. … We’ll have your back.”
Traci Benjamin, 32BJ’s communication specialist, said the employees on strike work in baggage and wheelchair roles at the airport; they are joined by peers at six other hubs in an effort for $15-an-hour wages.
“These workers get low wages and no respect,” said Benjamin, who noted that these used to be good jobs.
She said the irony of the timing was that the strike is going on while many are traveling to see their families, “but we can’t afford to travel and see ours.”
Strikers donned yellow parkas because of rainy conditions and marched in circles around a five-person drum crew. They held signs with #Strike4Families logos and “On Strike Against” text listing the name of the airport subcontractor with whom they have a beef.
Chanting “32BJ” and “If we don’t get it, shut it down,” organizers noted that they started the fight over working conditions more than a year ago. It’s devolved from there, they said.
They cited harassment when people complain about jobs that leave them living in poverty and how – despite City Council’s support – they still aren’t paying everyone at least $12 an hour.
“We are fighting to raise the wages here, awareness, and we want dignity, respect on the job, and we want to be treated fairly,” said Anita McKnight, a grandmother who claimed she makes $8.40 an hour at the airport. “We’re tired of the disrespect and intimidation. Enough is enough. We deserve to be able to treat our families the same way the CEOs and people who run this airport do.”
For her part, Qwaneisha Gaither spoke about being fired by McGinn Security. She claimed she was harassed and illegally terminated for speaking up.
“When I was at McGinn, I was talking to my co-workers about the union. McGinn was just waiting for a chance to fire me. Is that fair?” she said. “PHL passengers: When you come to the airport, talk to us. We fight for our families every single day.”
A man answering the phone at McGinn Security on Thursday afternoon said the company “had no comment” about the strike.
