WASHINGTON — Airport workers across the country, including some at Reagan National, went on strike and protested Thursday, claiming they are being grossly undercompensated.
The strikers do not work for any major airlines, but are employed by the sub-contractors Aviation Transport Services (ATS) and Eulen America.
These employees do various jobs across Reagan National and other airports including cleaning planes, checking and hauling bags and assisting passengers who have disabilities.
Some of them are paid just $3.77 an hour, plus tips.
“The workers are just being treated unfairly,” said David Tucker, a skycap at Reagan National.
Tucker was among workers walking in a circle Thursday morning, chanting and waving signs outside Terminal C, demanding better wages and benefits.
“We’re underpaid with no sick leave or vacation,” he said. “We’re asking for $15 an hour.”
Similar strikes are happening at several other major U.S. airports.
The protest was outside the terminal; Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority spokesman Chris Paolino said that there was no impact to operations.
He added that the workers are employees of contractors for the airlines.
“The employees don’t work directly for the airport or any Airports Authority contractors. We actually have a living wage provision for labor intensive service contracts procured and awarded directly by the Airports Authority that dates back to 2002,” Paolino said in an email.
