Employees of Eulen America, a private contractor for American Airlines and Delta, walked off their jobs yesterday.
Just ahead of July 4, known to be day in which airports receive heavy foot traffic, workers at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Miami International Airport (MIA), Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) protested what is claimed to be unfair and unsafe working conditions.
The ranks of striking employees includes baggage handlers, cabin cleaners and wheelchair attendants. “Many of us came from difficult countries, we came in search of the American dream,” 61- year-old Esteban Barrios told the Miami Herald. He has serviced Delta Airlines as a Eulen employee for three years.
They are protesting what they call unsafe working conditions. It’s been reported that U.S. Senator Cory Booker, also a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, joined the protest outside of Terminal H at MIA the morning of June 26.
Eulen America has denied claims that their employees are working in unsafe conditions. “Eulen America cares deeply about our workforce and we are firmly committed to providing them with a work environment and procedures that meet or exceed industry standards,” Eulen CEO Xavier Rabell said in a statement.
Related: Uber, Lyft Drivers to Strike in 10 US Cities Thursday
If you have travel insurance and are traveling to or from an airport involved in the strike, contact your provider to see if airline/airport strikes are covered; check the policy of the credit card used as some, as some credit card policies offer travel insurance. If you’d like to stay up-to-date, Airport Strike Alert is a resource to keep alert on strike-related details.
