Holiday strike threatened at O'Hare Airport

Labor leaders Thursday said "hundreds" of low-wage workers at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport have voted to strike and warned that those employees may not show up during the holiday travel season.

The vote was taken among an estimated 2,000 non-unionized workers who have been attempting to organize with the help of Service Employees International Union, SEIU Local 1 President Tom Balanoff said.

The employees, who work mostly for private contractors at the airport in jobs such as baggage-handling, security, catering and cleaning, are protesting retaliation against union organizers and workplace grievances like unpaid overtime and unsafe working condition. The workers also hope to see wages at the airport boosted to a minimum of $15 per hour.

A spokesman said the Chicago Department of Aviation is "committed to ongoing dialogue with all parties" and that the city did not figure to see any disruption to service during the holidays.

"The CDA expects every contractor to follow the law, and will aid the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection and the Illinois Department of Labor to take whatever action is necessary," spokesman Owen Kilmer said. "We do not anticipate any disruption in service at Chicago's airports during the holiday season and encourage passengers to contact individual airlines for information regarding their specific flight."

For more, check chicago.suntimes.com.