PHOENIX — Food and beverages workers at Sky Harbor Airport voted to unanimously authorize a strike Wednesday and could "walk out any day," according to a statement from Unite Here, a labor union representing the workers.
Workers with HMS Host, which is the largest operator of airport concessions at Sky Harbor Airport and in North America, staff outlets like Starbucks, Barrio Cafe, Chelsea's Kitchen and SanTan Brewery.
The strike comes after the workers' collective bargaining agreement expired on the last day of 2023. They are demanding "livable wages to keep pace with the soaring cost of housing, a pension to retire with dignity and fair staffing," the statement said.
“I voted yes to authorize a strike because I have worked for HMS Host for over 20 years and I still don't have a pension,” said cook Lucia Salinas. “I want to know that I will be able to afford to retire in dignity when I can no longer work."
The hourly wage needed to afford a two-bedroom apartment in the Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale metro area is $33.46 per hour, according to the National Low-Income Housing Coalition. 90% of airport workers make less than $25 per hour, the union said.
The union said a strike could impact travelers in both Terminals 3 and 4.
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