Detroit Metro Airport food workers could strike over low wages

Detroit Metro Airport employees will join airline food workers across the country Thursday in considering a strike over low wages.

About 11,000 of the nation's airline caterers — employees who prepare and transport food served on flights — will vote over the next two weeks on whether to move forward with a strike, according to a statement from labor union UNITE HERE.  

Many of the food workers, including 74% of DTW’s 500 airline caterers, make less than $15 per hour, despite long employment histories with their companies. UNITE HERE is pushing for a $15 minimum wage for the catering workers nationally.

The vote will take place across 21 U.S. cities at airports like New York’s JFK and Chicago O’Hare that use airline catering companies LSG Sky Chefs and Gate Gourmet. The two catering companies serve Delta, United and American Airlines, ranked three of the four largest airlines in the world by Business Insider.

While Detroit food caterers will vote on the potential strike Thursday, airport strike votes already have begun in other locations. Any potential strike plans must be approved by the National Mediation Board, a government agency that oversees rail and airline labor issues.

According to UNITE HERE, the lowest hourly wage for a DTW caterer is $11.25 per hour, and 7% of DTW food caterers who have worked at the airport more than 20 years are making less than $15 hourly.

The living wage in Wayne County for a single-person household is $11.43 hourly, according to MIT’s Living Wage Calculator.

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