AUSTIN, Texas — Union food service workers at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (ABIA) are set to vote on approving a strike, after spending months asking their employer Delaware North to pay them livable wages.
“We’re not trying to become rich, we’re just trying to, you know, survive in this economy,” said Cinthya San Miguel, a cashier for food service at the airport.
San Miguel used to live in Austin but had to move outside of the city because of the high cost of living. She said in addition to getting underpaid, they are also overworked.
“It does feel like it’s not fair either, because a lot of our workload being handed to coworkers, that they have to do the job of two or three people,” San Miguel said.
Back in May, the union held a picket outside the airport, asking Delaware North to raise the minimum wage to $25. The last time they were given a raise was in 2022, when the Austin City Council raised the minimum wage to $20 an hour for all city workers, which also applies to businesses contracted with the city.
“It’s very simple, I believe that everyone deserves the dignity and respect of livable wages and fair working conditions,” said Austin City Council Member Vanessa Fuentes (District 2).
In the city's new proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year, the plan is to raise the minimum wage for city employees to $21.60.
Councilmember Fuentes has been vocal about ensuring these workers get better living wages that match the rising cost of living in Austin.
“Austin is an incredible city, but it’s also getting harder and harder to get by in the city that we love,” Fuentes said.
At 7 p.m., the union plans to tally up the votes to strike. KVUE reached out to Delaware North for a response to Thursday's vote, but have not heard back at the time of publication. Some workers tell us they’ve had labor management meetings, but they don’t feel like they’re being heard in those, hence why they are pushing for a strike.
“I hope our voices can be heard,” San Miguel said.