American Airlines Strike Called During Democratic Convention

Attention journalists preparing for next week's political conventions: Baggage handlers, security workers, and others in Philadelphia have voted to strike American Airlines during the convention—American Airlines handles 70% of the traffic into the airport, according to the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

They have called on Democrats to support them.

"With the DNC fast-approaching, airport workers and their supporters are calling on the DNC to support their fight by demanding action by American Airlines," said the SEIU. "American—which controls 70% of the traffic at PHL—hires and fires contractors at the airport and sets the standards for wages, benefits and worker treatment."

The union said some 1,000 workers could walk off the job.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.