Three city alders joined hundreds of protesters at JFK airport in New York City in a rally for better wages and a new contract for airline food workers who share a same parent union as Yale’s blue-collar and clerical worker locals.
Two of those alders, East Rock’s Charles Decker (pictured in the back-left of the video above) and the Hill’s Ron Hurt, were arrested during the protest.
Alder Marchand (right) with local labor organizer Jess Corbett (center) on way to the protest.
That large-scale labor action took place Tuesday inside and outside of American Airlines’ Terminal 8 at JFK.
According to a New York ABC News affiliate, hundreds of protesters rallied to call out the low wages that the airline pays to its catering workers. The protest came the day before the busiest travel day of the year.
Decker, Hill Alder Ron Hurt, and Westville Alder Adam Marchand were among a group New Haveners who traveled down to the international airport to join in on the protest. All three are closely allied with Yale’s UNITE HERE labor unions, Locals 33, 34, and 35. UNITE HERE also represents American Airlines food workers in Local 100.
According to ABC, 500 people participated in the protests, which included a “die-in” inside Terminal 8 and then the partial blocking of a roadway outside the terminal. Fifty-three people were arrested for disorderly conduct, according to the report.
Contributed photo
East Rock Alder Charles Decker (in red) being arrested Tuesday.
Decker and Hurt were two of those arrested, according to city Director of Legislative Services Al Lucas. An ABC video shows Decker being detained, with his hands behind his back, by Port Authority police.
“I fee like I’m a part of this movement in New Haven that’s been fighting for good jobs for a long time,” Decker told the Independent Wednesday afternoon. “I’m extremely excited and proud to bring that fight” to help other workers in other states win quality pay and healthcare.
He said he was one of several dozen New Haveners to travel down to New York City Tuesday afternoon to participate in the workers’ rights action, which started at a round 3 p.m. and went to 5.
Hill Alder Ron Hurt (center) being arrested Tuesday.
He said he was arrested along with dozens of others while participating in a nonviolent demonstration, partially blocking a roadway outside the terminal. He said he was processed by Port Authority police while on the scene, charged with disorderly conduct, and given a court summons.
“American Airlines is a company that makes billions of dollars of profit,” he said. “They have the power to step in and make sure” that the third-party contractor that employs these airline food service workers agrees to a contract that includes a living wage and quality healthcare benefits.
American Airlines released the following statement about the protests:
“We are confident that, with the ongoing assistance of federal mediators, the catering companies and Unite Here will negotiate new nationwide agreements that increase pay and benefits. We understand that new labor contracts between Unite Here and LSG Sky Chefs and Gate Gourmet will result in increased costs for their many airline customers, including American. We are not in a position to control the outcome of their negotiations or dictate what wages or benefits are agreed upon between the catering companies and their employees.”