Workers at Flying Food Group went to Los Angeles City Hall to ask that their employer be held accountable.
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“International labor standards also apply to safety and health, non-discrimination, and living wage requirements. They require policies to prevent workplace injuries and illnesses “by minimizing…the causes of hazards inherent in the working environment.” They proscribe discrimination in employment “on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, political opinion, national extraction or social origin” as well as sexual harassment in the workplace. They define a living wage as “the wage level that is necessary to afford a decent standard of living for workers and their families.” The report details complaints and cases related to these international labor standards. State authorities have cited FFG for multiple violations of safety and health regulations, and instances of two recent workplace fires within a four- month period are currently under investigation. FFG has also had to pay more than $1 million in back pay to workers for violation of the Los Angeles Living Wage Ordinance and laws on job and wage protection for Covid-displaced workers.” Click here to read the full report.
The January fire was the latest in a string of alleged safety issues at Flying Food Group. Over the past five years, workers, their union, and state and federal agencies tasked with regulating the company have repeatedly raised concerns about working conditions at the LAX facility and others in San Francisco and Hawaii.
American Airline Lounge workers employed by Compass Eurest at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport voted 100% to authorize a strike!
LOS ANGELES, CA — This week, airline catering workers employed by Flying Food Group at Los Angeles International Airport publicly shared their experiences before a Truth Commission composed of community leaders at Holman United Methodist Church.
Over several hours of often emotional testimony testimony before the Commission, more than a dozen Flying Food Group workers and advocates described unsafe conditions, wage theft and poverty wages, sexual harassment, labor violations, and retaliation for speaking out.
Flying Food Group workers are responsible for preparing and packaging meals and beverages for international airlines including Japan Airlines, ANA, Lufthansa, and Air France—serving thousands of passengers traveling through LAX each day. Despite playing a critical role in global travel, many workers say their voices have long gone unheard.
Many workers described safety hazards, including a number than were the subject of citations from the state’s enforcement agency, Cal/OSHA.
“Water mixed with bleach splashed into my eyes, and I felt a severe burning sensation. I reported the incident to my supervisor, who told me to go to the restroom to wash my eyes, because the designated eyewash station was completely blocked by flight carts and, furthermore, did not contain the specialized water required for eye irrigation. My doctor told me that I could have gone blind if it had reached my cornea,” said Sonia Ceron, dishwasher at Flying Food Group for 8 years. “Flying Food Group is a company that does not value us; we deserve to feel safe. I hope that you, the commissioners, can hear us.”
Over the last several years, five different government agencies have issued citations or complaints against Flying Food Group for labor or safety violations. These include six citations by the City of Los Angeles for violations of the airport minimum wage by it or its staffing agencies; six citations by Cal/OSHA for violations of workplace safety rules; 10 citations by California Highway Patrol for operating heavy trucks without proper licenses and other issues; a citation by the California Labor Commissioner for violating the state’s post-Covid right-to-return-to–work law; and a complaint by the National Labor Relations Board for violating federal labor laws through threats, surveillance, interrogations and retaliation. These citations and other complaints were presented to the Truth Commission over the course of the hearing.
Commissioners included Yvonne Wheeler, President of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor; Rev. William Smart Jr, President and CEO of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Southern California; Frank Lima, General Secretary-Treasurer of the International Association of Fire Fighters; Kevin Riley, Director of the UCLA Labor Occupational Safety and Health Program; Will Mitchell, District Director for California State Assembly District 61. Assemblymember Tina McKinnor; and Chloe Osmer, Executive Director of the Maintenance Cooperation Trust Fund, and leading authority on workers rights and wage theft.
Truth Commissioner Yvonne Wheeler, said: “I call on the City of Los Angeles not to renew the license of Flying Food Group. Get somebody else in. Through it all these workers showed their strength. Their fight is not just about one workplace.
It’s about respect. It’s about dignity, it’s about justice, for all working people.”
Truth Commissioner Rev. William Smart Jr, said, “ We cannot just hear a scared story, a scared story calls you into action, we are called into action today! The Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Southern California will walk with you and fight with you and be there for you!”
Truth Commissioner Kevin Riley said “What I saw in this room are workers demanding what the law already guarantees them and striving to hold an employer accountable to their legal responsibilities. You are sounding an important alarm — so that we don’t end up with our own Triangle Shirtwaist disaster. I applaud your courage in speaking out, and I stand with you in your efforts.”
Truth Commissioner Will Mitchell, said, ”What happens at LAX doesn’t stay at LAX, it reflects the standards we are willing to accept for workers across California. Your voices have been heard and will be taken very seriously by Assemblymember McKinnor and her office.”
Truth Commissioner Chloe Osmer, said “We heard today from workers at Flying Food Group about the devastating impact of wage theft on their lives. We heard from workers about repeated violations by Flying Food Group of the Living Wage Ordinance in LA. It’s called Living Wage for a reason, because you can’t live on less.”
Airline caterer for international flights has also been cited for wage theft, unsafe conditions, and other labor violations, despite license to operate from City of Los Angeles
Los Angeles: Today, Flying Food Group, an airline caterer for major airlines that has been at the center of controversy for allegations of unsafe conditions and labor abuse, agreed to settle a high-profile case at the National Labor Relations Board.
In a highly unusual step, Flying Food Group was required to admit that it had violated workers’ federal labor law protections as part of the settlement. The outcome is considered a major victory for workers who have been speaking out about what they have alleged is abusive treatment at work.
The day before Flying Food Group workers testified at LA City Council about the fire they experienced in their workplace in January, which coincidentally was the 115th anniversary of the deadly Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. This fire was one of the deadliest industrial disasters in U.S. history, causing the deaths of 146 garment workers—123 women and girls and 23 men. UNITE HERE is a proud successor union to the International Ladies Garment Workers Union, the union to which some Triangle factory workers belonged.
In December 2024, following a two year investigation, the General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board issued a multi-part complaint against the airline caterer alleging numerous labor violations. The case was set for trial on March 31, which will now be averted due to the settlement.
Under the settlement, after denying the allegations for years, Flying Food Group has admitted that it took part in an illegal effort to oust the workers’ union. Among other conduct, the company admits that multiple members of management interrogated workers about their union sympathies and activities and assisted in an effort to remove the union through a decertification campaign. This conduct occurred during or in the aftermath of a worker strike for better wages and conditions.
The Company also agreed to pay $50,000 to a worker whom the NLRB complaint accused Flying Food Group of firing because he participated in union activities and in order to discourage employees from engaging in those activities.
Finally, the settlement also requires that Flying Food Group refrain from engaging in a long list of violations of workers’ rights going forward – and, importantly, provides that if the Flying Food Group fails to comply with the settlement’s terms, the NLRB can reissue the complaint, deem all allegations admitted, and obtain a federal court judgment enforcing a full remedy — all without a trial.
The settlement also requires the Company to formally pledge to its employees that it fully respect workers’ rights under federal labor law going forward and will not do any of the following acts, among others:
The settlement is the latest of a long series of legal citations. Altogether, over the last several years, five different government agencies have issued citations or complaints against Flying Food Group for labor or safety violations. These include six citations by the City of Los Angeles for violations of the airport minimum wage by it or its staffing agencies six citations by Cal/OSHA for violations of workplace safety rules, 10 citation by California Highway Patrol for operating heavy trucks without proper licenses and other issues, and a citation by the California Labor Commissioner for violating the state’s post-Covid right-to-return-to–work law.
This is the second settlement the company has entered into since LAWA informed the company it was looking into allegations that “raised questions related to FFG’s trustworthiness, quality, fitness and capacity.” Last month, Flying Food Group also reached a settlement nearly three years after OSHA cited the company for illegally locking a door; as noted above, this issue was also included in the NLRB charges.
“I am so thankful that we are finally seeing some recourse for the violations this company has committed to our basic rights. It has been over three years since me and my coworkers have been fighting for respect, and there is still so much to go. But it is at least good to see the company has admitted to violating our rights,” said Monica Lira workers at Flying Food Group.
“The bravery and commitment workers showed despite working for a company like Flying Food Group is true inspiration. This company deserves to be held accountable for all of the wrongdoing and damage they have caused, and we are glad this settlement starts to do that, though there is still much to be done,” said Susan Minato, co-president of UNITE HERE Local 11.
As a next step, workers are planning to hold a Truth Commission on April 13th to talk about their experiences and the need to hold Flying Food Group accountable so that workers are safe and treated with dignity and respect.
After nearly 2 years of arbitration, Crews at LAX has been ordered to pay over $1 million to its employees in backpay. According to the contract ordered by the Arbitrator Crews workers wages will rise significantly along with their benefit contributions. Thanks to the perseverance and determination of these workers in their fight for justice and fair wages, they will now benefit from their two year long struggle.
Lucian is a leader who worked at Private Suites, a private terminal in LAX. He began organizing his coworkers to unionize in order to improve their working conditions and gain transparency regarding their tips. Lucian was subsequently fired. Instead of being discouraged, he felt even more empowered and continued organizing outside of work. Thanks to his leadership, nearly 100 new members were unionized. Lucian didn’t stop there and began working for the union as an organizer to unionize a second group of workers that the company refused to recognize. Thanks to his persistence and determination, the company has now agreed to recognize this second group of workers. Bravo, Lucian!
