A statement from the Employee Representatives’ Council of Gate Gourmet:

This is a historic day. After six years of bargaining including five years of mediation, Gate Gourmet workers—for the first time in 20 years—have finally been released from federal mediation. This is an important step towards allowing 8,000 union members across the United States who prepare, pack, and deliver inflight food and beverages to be able to strike.

The circumstance for workers at Gate Gourmet is dire: as of January 2024 some workers were still earning as little as $13 an hour in cities with some of the highest costs of living in the country. Airline catering workers also need access to affordable, quality health care. Only 25% of union workers are in Gate Gourmet’s heath care plan and less than 2% have signed up for health care for their dependents. At the same time, airlines are making record profits while benefiting from the labor of our members.

We are hopeful that the NMB’s action prompts the employer to come to the table with a real offer but, if they do not, our members are ready to do everything within legal means—up to and including walking out on strike—to secure the wages and health care they deserve.

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The Employee Representatives’ Council (ERC) is comprised of UNITE HERE and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. With the Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco Workers, and Grain Millers Union (BCTGM), and the Retail Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), the ERC represents 8,000 food service workers employed by Gate Gourmet.