Maria Ríos

ADVISORY: Indefinite Strike by Sky Harbor HMS Host Workers Will Continue Through Thanksgiving

Solidarity with strikers continues to grow as HMS Host remains obstinate 

Phoenix – On a day many reserve for gratitude and gathering with family, HMS Host workers will continue to picket, chant and hold a drum line at Sky Harbor. Workers have been on strike since Monday when they announced their indefinite walkout. The strike will impact travelers arriving and departing from Terminals 3 and 4. 

Thanksgiving Day, workers will have a special program to give thanks to each other and for the solidarity of the community.

ADVISORY: Sky Harbor HMS Host Workers’ Indefinite Strike Reaches Day 3

Airport concessions worker strike continues into busiest travel day of the year

Phoenix – HMS Host workers’ indefinite strike will reach its third day just one day before Thanksgiving, reportedly the busiest travel day of the year. Striking workers will continue to picket, chant and hold a drum line in protest of HMS Host’s unwillingness to agree to their demands for a fair labor contract. The strike will impact travelers arriving and departing from Terminals 3 and 4. 

On Tuesday, striking workers were joined by State Senator Martin Quezada (LD29) and State Representatives Reginald Bolding (LD27) and Melody Hernandez (LD26) on the picket line. 

Monday, workers walked out and joined an energized picket line and rally outside Terminal 4. Workers were joined by local community groups, labor allies, and elected officials. 

Advisory: LAX Food Workers to Stage Day-Long Protest on Busiest Travel Day of the Year

Citing vote Tuesday in key City Council subcommittee, airport workers say they’re still struggling to stay healthy and housed while employers take advantage of pandemic relief

LAX workers will dedicate Wednesday’s all-day demonstration in solidarity with striking airport concessions workers in Phoenix who are also members of Local 11

Tuesday, the Los Angeles City Council subcommittee on Trade and Tourism, chaired by Councilmember Joe Buscaino (District 15), voted on a third round of rent relief for LAX concessions companies. Concessionaires have already received 15 months of rent relief and two-year lease extensions meant to allow them to make extra money as business recovers. None of the relief was passed through to essential airport workers in any direct way, despite many being laid off. 

As of September 2021, LAX domestic passenger traffic had returned to 74% of September 2019 levels.

Meanwhile, fellow union airport concessions workers in Phoenix have been on strike since Monday. UNITE HERE Local 11 Phoenix strikers demand a new, comprehensive contract with fair raises, affordable health insurance, a company-paid retirement contribution, protections for workers’ tips, and strong contract language for equal opportunity and protection from discrimination. 

HMS Host is the largest airport concessions company in North America and at LAX, where the company operates numerous restaurants, all on-airport Starbucks locations, and American Airlines lounges in Terminal 4 and Terminal 5.

# # #

Tuesday Marks Day 2 of Sky Harbor HMS Host Workers’ Indefinite Strike

Days before Thanksgiving holiday, airport concessions workers remain firm: no agreement, no work 

Phoenix – After a successful walkout on Monday, HMS Host workers at Sky Harbor Airport will remain on an indefinite strike Tuesday. The strike continues to impact travelers arriving and departing in both Terminals 3 and 4.

HMS Host workers make up the largest group of food concessions workers at the Phoenix airport. HMS Host is the single largest concessionaire at Sky Harbor Airport, employing hundreds of workers in over two dozen restaurant and coffee shop outlets.

Host operates all Starbucks coffee shops at the airport and popular restaurants such as Barrio Cafe, Chelsea’s Kitchen, and SanTan Brewery.

Workers are demanding a new, comprehensive contract with fair raises, affordable health insurance, a company-paid retirement contribution, protections for workers’ tips, and strong contract language for equal opportunity and protection from discrimination. Workers with UNITE HERE Local 11 have been in negotiations with HMS Host since 2017. Delays in settling a contract mean delays in wage increases and official COVID safety protocols during a global pandemic.

Strike Questions & Answers

Question 1: If I am working, what do I do?
Report to the north curb of level 1 of Terminal 4 for your picket duty. If a tentative agreement is met, your Contract Committee person will notify you.

Question 2: What will be our strike benefit?
The strike benefit will be $300 for the first week with 2 extra $100 gift cards for Thanksgiving Day. The second week and all subsequent weeks will be for $400 if you picket 5 days a week for a total of 25 hours.

Question 3: How long will the strike last?
We must be prepared to strike for as long as it takes to win affordable health benefits, a pension, and keep our strong union.

Question 4: Will we be fired if we go on strike?
It is illegal under federal labor law for the company to retaliate against you for participating in a strike, picket line, or other union activity.

Question 5: How do we survive on strike pay?
We are all in this together! We are making history, not just for Phoenix, but also for the nation. We are fighting for ourselves, our families, and for future generations. We will have member support committees that deal with:

  • Food donations
  • Communication with creditors (mortgage bank, landlords, electric company, etc.)
  • Other problem solving, case work
  • We will have a Police Relations Committee to deal with coordinating picket activity with Aviation.

Question 6: How will we know about the progress of the strike?
We will have regular informational written updates on the picket line and our website. Picket Captains will give regular updates.

Question 7: How many days do I picket? How many hours a day do I picket?
Each striker will pick a five-hour shift, five days a week with two days off per week.

Question 8: Does going on strike affect my work permit or green card?
No!

Question 9: Can we win?
We will win by demonstrating to these Wall Street-controlled companies that we have the guts to fight for our union, our families, and our future. We will win by demonstrating our fight throughout the nation, to travel agents, convention planners, tour groups, financial analysts, bondholders, stockholders, politicians, and clergy.

Together we will win!