by Donald Wood
Last updated: 9:18 AM ET, Fri December 22, 2017
As Chicago's O'Hare International Airport prepares for one of the busiest travel weeks of the year, restaurant workers took part in an organized protest Thursday.
According to the Chicago Tribune, the airport employees walked off the job Thursday at around noon local time to protest for higher wages and affordable health care. The workers picketed outside O'Hare's terminals until after 5 p.m. local time.
The employees' union, UNITE HERE Local 1 union, represents about 1,200 employees of airport-stationed restaurants. Around 84 percent of union representatives voted in favor of the protest.
Despite the walkout, restaurants at the Chicago airport continued to operate Thursday.
"The Chicago Department of Aviation is closely monitoring today's events, and these actions will not disrupt operations at O'Hare International Airport in any way," airport spokeswoman Lauren Huffman told the Chicago Tribune.
Restaurant workers have been working without a contract since August, but officials from O'Hare's restaurant operator, HMSHost, are reportedly in negotiations with the UNITE HERE Local 1 union on a new deal.
"It is unfortunate that Local 1 seems determined to inconvenience travelers despite our continued progress at the bargaining table," an HMSHost spokesperson said in a statement.
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