Airport Workers Strike

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About 2,500 airport service workers walked off their jobs at Los Angeles International Airport Thursday afternoon as contract talks between their union and airline service contractors broke off.

The workers, including baggage handlers, skycaps, terminal passenger screeners, wheelchair lift operators and airplane cabin cleaners, work for nine companies that contract with many of the 120 airlines serving the airport.

Service Employees International Union Local 1877, which represents the striking workers, had been seeking higher wages and benefits, equipment upgrades and other improvements in working conditions as part of contract renewal talks. SEIU represents about 40 percent of the estimated 6,000 airline service workers at the airport; the rest work for non-union contractors.

Earlier this month, SEIU members had authorized the union bargaining committee to call a strike if talks broke down. That happened Thursday morning, said spokesman Mike Chavez.

Negotiators representing the contractors or airline representatives could not be reached for comment.

L.A. City Councilwoman Janice Hahn, who recently introduced a motion calling for higher wages and benefits and more training for airline service workers, issued a statement Thursday afternoon: “It is regretful that we have gotten to a point where a strike is necessary. I have personally reached out to the airlines to try to find a way to solve this problem without a work stoppage.”

Hahn added: “I am still hopeful that we can find a way to keep our airlines flying, our passengers safe and our workers working in good, stable jobs.”

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