The bartenders, baristas, dishwashers and chefs at Phoenix Airport voted for a strike over lack of pay, affordable health care and staff. PHOENIX – Editors’ note: The above video was aired during a previous broadcast. Foodservice workers at Phoenix’s Sky Harbor Airport voted overwhelmingly on Thursday evening to permit a strike during vacation travel season. The strike was approved by 97% of the workers. A date for the strike has not yet been set. Workers employed at HMS Host have voiced their complaints about the lack of decent wage increases, affordable health insurance, a company-paid pension and protection for workers’ tips, Unite Here Local 11 said in one Declaration to 12 news with. The strike would affect arrivals and departures at the international airport in Terminal 3 and 4. “As the pandemic started in 2020, HMS Host laid off hundreds of workers at Sky Harbor Airport,” the union said. “As COVID-19 rates skyrocketed in Arizona in May 2020, Host announced its employees that their health insurance would be canceled.” RELATED: Strike With Deal Between Film and TV Teams, Studios Dodged Union workers employ over two dozen restaurants and cafes at the airport. HMS Host is the largest single employer among these companies at Phoenix Airport. “We offer significant wage increases and enhanced benefits, including paying 90% of our employees’ health care bills and contributing to a hospitality education fund that goes directly to our employees,” said a spokesman for HMS Host. “This is part of the most generous compensation package ever for Sky Harbor employees.” The company said less than half of all hourly HMSHost employees were union members. She also called the union’s vote “unhappy” and said it would harass passengers during the busy holiday season. RELATED: Fed Up Of The Pandemic, U.S. Food Workers Launch Infrequent Strikes Latest News From Arizona Find the latest news and stories on our 12 news YouTube playlist here.
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