Airline catering workers protested outside LAX on Tuesday.
Hundreds of airline catering workers shut down a major entrance to LAX on Monday, blocking Century Boulevard and forcing some travelers to abandon vehicles and walk during one of the busiest travel weeks of the year.
A group of airline catering workers picketed near LAX on Tuesday. The protest, organized by members of Unite Here Local 11 and employees of Flying Food Group, lasted nearly two hours with the intersection closed for almost minutes before Los Angeles police in riot gear cleared the intersection. The demonstrations took place along Century Boulevard and outside the Los Angeles airport's pickup and dropoff areas.Workers said they’re demanding a new contract, alleging unsafe working conditions, broken equipment, locked doors that create fire hazards, and unfair wages. According to union leaders representing the LAX airline catering workers, the demonstration is part of the push to "hold Flying Food Group accountable."The protesting workers also accused Flying Food Group of being cited in the past for safety and minimum wage violations."Honestly, people don’t care about the people who make food and put it on their plates," said Susan Minato, co-president of Unite Here Local 11. "We wanted to make a statement."Travelers heading to and from the airport expressed frustration as a massive backup formed. "I’m going to miss my flight to Europe," one traveler yelled. Another passenger, Les Lukach, was trying to reach an off-site parking lot after returning from a trip. "We were just commenting how it was a smooth ride, easy to get home, and now this," Lukach said. "I don’t know what’s going on — some sort of strike."Some drivers showed support as they sat in gridlock. "Dude, if it’s a good protest, a good cause — go for it. I don’t care," one motorist said.Protest organizers defended the timing. "There’s a lot of safety issues in there, like doors being locked, a lot of fire hazards," said Monica, a Flying Food Group worker who declined to give her last name. "It is a busy time of the year, no question," Minato added. "But that’s also how you get some attention."As protesters chanted and held signs in the middle of the intersection, police moved in and reopened the roadway. Law enforcement officers arrived a little after 6:15 p.m. to clear out the street demonstrations. Traffic began flowing again shortly before the evening rush intensified. The protests briefly caused delays for those going in and out of the airport.Workers vowed the action was not their last. "We’ll be back," several shouted as they dispersed. It is unknown if people were cited and/or arrested for protesting. No injuries have been reported as of 6:30 p.m. on November 25.The protest comes just two days before Thanksgiving, when LAX expects to handle some of its highest passenger volumes of the year.
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