Chicago O'Hare Union Delays Strike Until After Thanksgiving Travel Period
About 500 employees at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD) announced today that they're planning to go on strike next Tuesday, November 29. Members of the Service Employees International Union Local 1 announced the strike outside the airport and on the group's Twitter account.
The group is composed of baggage handlers, cabin cleaners, janitors and wheelchair attendants who want their hourly wage to be increased to $15. Currently, they are paid minimum wage in Illinois, which is $8.25 per hour. The strike certainly won't shut down ORD, but it might cause a disruption to travel. However, the Chicago Department of Aviation says it doesn't anticipate a disruption to service.
In the past few days, the looming strike has been on the radar of holiday travelers who were afraid that the lack of employees could cause a delay in their travel plans. So the news of the strike being delayed until after peak holiday travel dates is welcome news. The workers say that they want the public's support and don't want to mess up anyone's holiday plans.
This is a developing story, so stay tuned to TPG for any further details.
