"LAX workers to march for higher wages"

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Airport workers to march for higher wages
The Long Beach (CA) Press-Telegram


Hundreds of airport service workers will march around Los Angeles
International Airport today as part of a statewide call for higher wages and
improved job conditions. 

Security officers, skycaps, baggage handlers and cabin cleaners with the
Reaching Higher Coalition will begin their march and rally about 1 p.m. Los
Angeles City Council members Janice Hahn and Bill Rosendahl are expected to
participate. 

"The failure of the airlines to establish professional standards among
airport service work has created a race to the bottom and fuels a turnover
rate rivaling that of the fast-food industry, sending quality jobs, services
and security into a tailspin," said Mike Garcia, president of SEIU Local
1877. 

Earlier this month, Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, D-Woodland Hills, introduced
legislation to ensure that a portion of skycap baggage fees charged at
airports goes to skycap workers. 

Hahn introduced a similar motion at the Los Angeles City Council that would
affect workers at LAX. 

"The city of Los Angeles is investing more than $8 billion in modernizing
LAX and the airlines will clearly benefit. We need to make sure our efforts
to improve LAX do not leave behind the hard-working men and women who work
at the airport," Hahn said. 

"These workers deserve good wages and health coverage, which will result in
lower turnover and a higher quality of service and security."

 Do you have an opinion about this story?
Share it with other readers in our CAA Discussion Forums

http://www.californiaaviation.org/dcfp/dcboard.php


*****************************************