World Cup travelers pouring through Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport on Thursday were greeted by a line of picket signs outside the terminal, as 73 food and beverage workers walked off the job in a one-day strike. The action, organized by UNITE HERE Local 26, targeted Grove Bay Hospitality, the Florida-based operator that runs the airport restaurants and concession stands. Picket lines held throughout the day while union leaders pressed for higher pay and a new contract after more than a year of bargaining without a deal.
Strike kicks off pre-dawn after stalled contract talks
The walkout began at 3 a.m., after the roughly 73-person bargaining unit voted overwhelmingly earlier this month to authorize a strike, according to union officials. Local 26 leaders said the workers contract expired on Aug. 1, 2025, and that the timing was no accident: the strike was scheduled as World Cup travel ramps up regional passenger traffic, adding leverage at the bargaining table, The Boston Globe reported.
What workers say they need to stay
UNITE HERE Local 26 says members are fighting for wages above Rhode Island minimums and stronger benefits after nearly two years without raises. Hosts and cashiers at the terminal currently start at about $16.50 an hour, while servers often receive a base wage as low as $4.19 an hour before tips, workers and union leaders told Rhode Island Current. “A strike is never the goal,” Local 26 vice president Nancy Iadeluca told the outlet, but she said members felt they were running out of options.
Company keeps kitchens open and touts raises
Grove Bay Hospitality said it was disappointed by the walkout but pledged to keep its airport restaurants open to ensure uninterrupted service, according to local reporting. The company told reporters it had offered wage increases in the range of roughly 28% to 36%, depending on position, while union representatives said Grove Bay flew in temporary workers to staff the terminal during the stoppage. Those details were reported by ecoRI News.
Political backing and a broader airport labor wave
State officials and elected leaders showed up on the line, with Rhode Island Secretary of State Gregg Amore and U.S. Rep. Seth Magaziner publicly voicing support for the picketers, according to reporting. The T.F. Green walkout is part of a wider trend of labor unrest at major travel hubs, as Logan Airport hospitality workers recently voted to authorize a strike with World Cup crowds arriving across the region, The Boston Globe noted.
Minimum-wage backdrop in Rhode Island
Rhode Island standard minimum wage is $16 an hour as of Jan. 1, 2026, and employers may pay tipped workers a lower cash rate of $3.89 so long as tips bring total earnings up to at least the $16 floor, according to the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training. Union leaders argue that airport hospitality jobs, given the cost of living and the nature of the work, should pay above the legal minimum.
UNITE HERE Local 26 described Thursday action as a one-day, 24-hour strike that began at 3 a.m., but said it is prepared to escalate if talks do not produce what members consider a fair contract. Both sides signaled they intend to keep negotiating in the coming days, and local coverage has highlighted scenes from the picket line along with worker and management statements; see additional reporting from WarwickPost for more detail.
