Democrats attending their party’s national convention in Philadelphia next week may find their travel plans getting a bit complicated.
Workers at Philadelphia International Airport have voted to strike during the convention and are holding a rally Tuesday to demonstrate that they are willing to walk off. That could be awkward for any out-of-town delegates who plan to use the airport since the party strongly supports labor unions.
“Tomorrow will be a sort of look at what can happen during the Democratic convention,” said Julie Blust, spokeswoman for Service Employees International Union 32BJ, which is organizing the protests and strikes. The protesters will be calling for $15 an hour and collective bargaining rights.
Asked if they were calling on convention delegates not to use the airport, Blust said Monday that they “were not advising anyone on their travel plans.” She added that it was “not our intention to make things difficult for the Democratic convention.”
However, the union is calling on delegates to “lend your voice to the workers’ fight” and to stand with the workers on the picket lines, which would require not crossing them.
The workers are primarily employees of subcontractors for American Airlines. SEIU said Tuesday’s event will include “1,000 workers and supporters” though it doesn’t say exactly how many of the people at the event will be airport workers.
American Airlines spokeswoman Victoria Lupica stressed that the strikers were with the company’s subcontractors, not American Airlines itself. She added that the airtline has bulked up its regular staff in preparation for the convention.
“We don’t anticipate a disruption in a service,” she said.
Philadelphia has two airports, Philadelphia International and Northeast Philadelphia Airport. The former is closer to the downtown area.
The official Democratic platform endorses a $15 minimum wage and supports union rights in general.
A spokesman for the Democratic National Convention did not respond to a request for comment.
