As World Cup fans surge into New England, roughly 130 food and hospitality workers at Logan International Airport have voted to authorize a strike, setting up a showdown that could collide with some of the airport's busiest weeks of the year. The move does not trigger an immediate walkout, but it gives union leaders the legal power to call a strike as soon as later this month. Workers say they are pushing for higher wages and affordable health coverage while contract talks with several concession operators drag on.
According to The Boston Globe, roughly 130 servers, cooks, cashiers and other airport food workers voted unanimously Thursday night to authorize a strike. Union officials told the paper they plan to announce potential strike dates next week. “I hope we can get into some conversations with the employer over the weekend to get this resolved,” Local 26 president Carlos Aramayo said.
Union Ramps Up World Cup Pressure
UNITE HERE has been lining up strike-authorization votes at stadiums, hotels and airports in World Cup host cities and has warned that major labor disruptions are on the table during the tournament. In a June 2 press release, the union said workers in multiple host cities are prepared to withhold their labor during World Cup events if contracts are not settled, a tactic meant to sharpen employers’ incentives as international visitors arrive, according to UNITE HERE.
Where Talks Stand And Who Has Not Signed
Local 26 represents about 1,420 workers at Logan and has been negotiating with multiple contractors. The union says Areas USA, which runs shops including WPizza at the airport, has not signed onto the union’s proposed standard contract. According to The Boston Globe, other major employers at Logan, including Sodexo and HMSHost, accepted a deal that would provide an $8.50-an-hour raise and low-cost health plans. An Areas spokesperson told the paper the company “continues to meet with union representatives and engage in good-faith negotiations.”
Areas USA highlights its global footprint on its U.S. site and reports roughly $3.1 billion in worldwide revenue, a scale that helps explain why the union is zeroing in on the company in these talks.
What Travelers Should Expect
Boston’s World Cup venue at Gillette Stadium is hosting multiple matches in June and July, a schedule that is already drawing extra flights and fans into the region and routing heavier traffic through Logan, according to FIFA. UNITE HERE has warned that strikes timed to host-city events can cause major disruptions, and union leaders say they will announce exact strike dates next week as negotiations continue.
For travelers planning World Cup trips or simply passing through Logan, that could mean anything from shorter menus to shuttered food stands if a strike hits. For now, passengers are being advised to keep an eye on airline and airport updates in case concession services are disrupted.
