Restaurant workers at San Francisco International Airport on Tuesday were back on the picket lines for a second day, and a parallel protest involving United Airlines flight attendants joined the mix.
About 1,000 food workers with Unite Here Local 2 walked off the job Monday, saying they haven't seen a raise in three years, and under their current wages, many are forced to work second jobs. They're seeking higher wages as well as better health care and retirement benefits.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors scheduled a hearing for Tuesday to investigate working conditions at the airport. The board has requested workers, employers and airport officials to testify.
United flight attendants were not on strike but were protesting some of the same issues in the same general area as the striking food workers. The groups apparently joined forces later in the morning to form a much larger picket line.
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The food workers' strike includes cashiers, baristas, cooks, dishwashers, bartenders, servers and lounge attendants with 30 employers at 84 outlets at SFO, according to the union. The employers are bargaining as a collective.
The flight attendants' protest on the picket line was part of a national day of action involving several other major airports United serves across the country.
Union leaders describe the flight attendants' struggle as a lack of support that has created serious issues for some air crews.
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"These flight attendants are actually sleeping onboard an airplane overnight, because United can't answer their phones," said local flight attendant union President Kristie Rivera.
Leaders say flight attendants have felt the brunt of the anger from passengers over the summer due to delays and cancellations.
Now, they're calling on United executives to meet with them about fixing the problems and hiring more people.
"They got the money on the blood, sweat and tears of their frontline workers that lobbied Congress, that got their money for them so they could survive and once they survived, they forgot about everyone else," said Ken Diaz, national flight attendant union president.
In response to the protests, a United spokesperson sent a prepared statement saying in part that they've "worked hard to reduce wait times for flight attendants to talk to a flight scheduler, including more hiring and additional digital options for some items."
The unrest isn't limited to United Airlines.
In Oakland, Southwest Airlines flight attendants are also protesting for some of the same reasons. They're currently in contract negotiations and voicing frustrations about the deterioration of working conditions through the pandemic.
For some passengers who have struggled through a hectic summer travel season, there's sympathy for flight crews.
"It's true. When you say support staff you're talking about people who are checking in luggage," said frequent flier Susan Palm. "So people are missing their connections because the lines are too long to check in their luggage."
United flight attendants say they hope more people are brought onboard before the holiday travel season.
Airport officials said via social media Tuesday they are in contact with both parties and are encouraging a resolution to avoid further disruption. They added that airport stores are open with offerings of to-go food and beverage options.
Workers have compared their wages to the price of menu items, saying their hourly wage often is less than the price of a meal at SFO. They have urged travelers to boycott the airport's food and beverage outlets.
Airport food service workers authorized the strike by a 99.7% vote in August, officials said. Marriott hotel workers with the same union won raises and better health care benefits after a two-month strike in 2018, the union said.
