CWA Piedmont Passenger Service and Ramp Workers Picket for a Fair Contract

Ahead of a busy holiday travel season, passenger service and ramp workers at Piedmont Airlines held informational pickets on December 16 for a contract that secures better pay and healthcare for part-time employees. Picketing locations included airports in San Luis Obispo, Calif.; Phoenix, Ariz.; Detroit, Mich.; Washington, D.C.; and Norfolk, Va.

Piedmont workers at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in D.C. were joined on the picket line by AFA-CWA International Secretary-Treasurer Dante Harris and AFA-CWA International Vice President Keturah Johnson.

CWA and Piedmont Airlines have been in negotiations for a new contract for over a year and have yet to reach agreements on key articles, including fair wages and healthcare. Despite performing essential work for a subsidiary of one of the largest U.S. airlines—American Airlines—many Piedmont workers rely on government assistance and are not offered healthcare coverage.

“It's a very physical job," Tom Garza, Vice President of CWA Local 9423 District 2, told KEYT News. "It's a very demanding job. They work in the elements. They're busting their tails. And for under $19 an hour in San Luis County, I mean, it's a very tough ongoing economic struggle just to survive."

Contract negotiations will resume in January.

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This post originally appeared on cwa-union.org.