While are most are dreaming of a white Christmas, workers at Washington's Dulles International Airport are dreaming of a better life.
Employees walked out over low wages and the refusal of management to recognize their union. The strike was announced on Monday and workers began walking off the job around 3 a.m. on Wednesday for a planned two-day work stoppage.
Huntleigh USA Corporation, the company that oversees the Dulles Airport workers, issued the following statement:
"Huntleigh values all of its employees and respects each employee's right to form or attempt to form a union in the workplace as well as the right to refuse to form or attempt to form a union," said Huntleigh CFO Diane Shaw. "The company has never refused to agree to the fair and well-established process established by the National Labor Relations Board that allows all affected employees to vote on the issue of unionization in a secret ballot election."
Workers, who say they make as little as $6.50 per hour plus tips and have to work multiple jobs to survive, are asking for a minimum wage of $15.
Those walking out include customer service agents, baggage handlers and wheelchair attendants who are all extremely important to have on hand during a holiday season that is tracking as one of the busiest on record.
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However, this is not the first strike to take place over the holidays this year.
Restaurant workers at Chicago O'Hare International Airport also took part in an organized protest on December 21. The walkout was in support of a similar goal: higher wages and better healthcare.
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