Airport and airline workers staged demonstrations at airports across the U.S. and abroad Tuesday, protesting what they described as disorganized operations that have not built back up since staffing levels were cut at the beginning of the pandemic, forcing them to work too hard for too little pay. The protests — which included restaurant and lounge workers as well as flight attendants from United Airlines Holdings Inc.
UAL,
+2.92%
and Southwest Airlines Co.
LUV,
+0.41%
— spanned dozens of outlets at San Francisco International Airport, as well as large U.S. airports such as those in Atlanta and Los Angeles, and overseas in London and Guam.
Food-service workers in San Francisco told MarketWatch they were striking to demand higher pay and to preserve their current healthcare benefits, as inflation chews away at workers’ incomes. Picketing flight attendants from Southwest and United Airlines demanded expanded compensation and changes to what they say are grueling scheduling policies. Outside a terminal entrance in San Francisco, flight attendants marched together with the airport workers, some carrying signs that said “One job should be enough.” “Everything is up but our wages,” said Frank Wang, 70, who has been a bartender at the airport’s United Club lounge for 16 years. He said margaritas now cost $22, hamburgers are $20 and beer is over $10. He makes $16.99 an hour. …