LAX Food Workers' Strike Threatens Labor Day Tourism

Workers at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike ahead of the Labor Day weekend. The cashiers, dishwashers, cooks, bartenders, and other food workers, represented by Unite Here Local 11, voted by a 99% margin to strike. The workers, employed by concessionaire Areas, are demanding higher pay to keep up with the expensive housing market and increased workloads caused by depleted staffing during the pandemic. The strike vote adds pressure to Southern California's tourism industry, which is already dealing with picket lines at major hotel brands. Areas USA, the company operating the concessions, has criticized the union's push for a strike, claiming a lack of progress in contract negotiations.