As New Legislation in Tallahassee Aims to Cut the Living Wage, Airline Catering Workers in Miami Lead the Fight to Stop it
WHO: Hundreds of airline catering workers who prepare in-flight food and beverage for companies including American Airlines at LSG Sky Chefs with their labor union, UNITE HERE Local 355, and allies.
WHAT: Rally
WHERE: 3500 NW 24th St, Miami, FL 33142
WHEN: Thursday, December 14 at 2:30 pm
WHY: Airline catering workers at Miami International Airport (MIA) are set to rally against proposed legislation aimed to cut the living wage law in Miami-Dade County and other cities across Florida. House Bill 433 would stop counties from making any company pay their employees more than the minimum wage – this is a direct attack at low-wage workers, especially in Miami as it’s become increasingly more expensive to live in.
Miami-Dade County’s “living wage” covers thousands of airport workers and is currently set at $20.34 per hour, but for MIA airline catering workers at Sky Chefs, the minimum hourly pay is just $14.00. Sky Chefs workers need support to earn the living wage, not new legislation that aims to cut their means to survive in Miami.
Airline catering workers prepare, pack, and deliver food and beverages served aboard flights for American Airlines and other major U.S. airlines. Two-thirds of the food and drink on board flights departing from MIA are prepared by airline catering workers at Sky Chefs. Workers are calling to be included in the living wage and are ready to fight back against any legislation that aims to stop it.
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UNITE HERE Local 355 is the hospitality workers’ union in South Florida, representing 6,000 workers in hotels, airports, restaurant, stadiums, and casinos.