Politics

Dozen arrested at Thanksgiving SEIU Los Angeles airport protest

Christopher Bedford Former Editor in Chief, The Daily Caller News Foundation
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Members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) protested at entrances to the Los Angeles International Airport on Wednesday — the biggest travel day of the year — delaying people trying to spend time with their families and leading to a dozen arrests.

Union members blocked a busy intersection after their permit had expired, The Los Angeles Times reported, leading to their arrests.

“At least two of those arrested are City Council candidates,” the Times added in a separate report, listing Ana Grande and Ana Cubas of the 13th and 9th districts, respectively.

The union is protesting Aviation Safeguards, which they say illegally broke a contract. The company, which employs 450 people, denies the allegations, and says “52 percent of its workers voted to decertify the SEIU,” Fox News reports. “It also says employee pay has increased by more than $2 million since workers kicked the union out to compensate for changes in their health care policies.”

SEIU spokesman Ernesto Guerrero told Fox News that “we understand the inconvenience, but workers here are making the decisions of life.
“Unfortunately,” he continued, “[union members] are being forced to do these extreme measures because otherwise no one is listening to them. The airport is not listening to them. The mayor of the city is not listening to them. We are being forced to take these extreme actions.”

The news comes hours after Hostess — the maker of Twinkies — announced that it was unable to come to terms with the union representing its bakers, and will likely have to sell of its iconic American brands.

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