Unable to wait for the delegates to descend on
Philadelphia for the Democratic National Convention next week, hundreds of
workers made their stance in the
"Fight for $15" known Tuesday.
A crowd blocked several lanes of traffic near Terminal A
West departures in a demonstration that one strike organizer said was not an
affront to the political party, which voted to add a $15 minimum
wage to its platform earlier this month, but instead provides a
"living example" to support the Democrats' commitment to a higher
living wage.
"We have this case study a mile and a half away from
the convention site," said Julie Blust, of the SEIU 32BJ union, which has
contributed to the employees' organization efforts. "The workers made the
decision not to stay hidden."
The group – made up of baggage handlers, cabin cleaners,
wheelchair attendants and other workers employed by several subcontractors at
PHL – said it decided to demonstrate Tuesday, six days before the DNC begins,
because the subcontractors upped their intimidation tactics since they authorized the strike in a vote
last week.
Blust said McGinn Security wrote up workers who okayed
the strike; Prospect Airport Services offered its workers $24 an hour if they
worked Tuesday and during the DNC instead of picketing; and Prime Flight
Aviation Services fired a worker who voted in favor of the strike.
McGinn Security declined to comment on the claims.
Neither Prospect nor Prime Flight returned calls.
More demonstrations will occur next week, Blust said,
unless the subcontractors "make some end-roads to deal with this worker
crisis."
"It is not supposed to be aimed at the
Democrats," she said. "But the world spotlight is on
Philadelphia."
Source: Philadelphia
Business Journal
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