Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Fired Oakland Airport Workers Speak Out

The union seeking to represent workers at concession stands at the Oakland International Airport says the private companies running those concessions are skirting laws meant to protect labor rights. The airport operates under the control of the Port of Oakland, a quasi-public agency. The Port has a Living Wage law in effect that guarantees all workers at the airport—even those working for private companies renting space there—decent pay, and 12 sick days per year. Those private companies are also, under their lease agreements, supposed to keep –quote--“labor peace”. But workers who’ve been trying to unionize some of those concessions say they haven’t found it very peaceful. We spoke to one of them and then called the Port of Oakland to get a response.