13 workers who prepare food for American at airports across the country will engage passengers at CLT on their way to AA shareholders meeting in New York

What: Airline food workers rally and engage with passengers flying from CLT

When: Sunday, June 11, 10am

Where: Entrance to CLT Main Terminal (exact location TBD), Charlotte, NC

Who: Airline food workers from Charlotte and other airports across the country who prepare, pack and deliver food and beverages to commercial aircraft.

NOTE: Airline food workers are available now through June 11 for interviews on their personal experiences working to prepare and deliver food for American and other major airlines, including their poor wages and working conditions, and how they are connected to passenger treatment.

Why: The airline industry is booming, with 2016 profits reaching a record $35 billion for U.S. carriers. Despite this, passengers continue to pay more for once-included amenities such as checked baggage and extra leg room while airline food service contractors pay workers poverty wages below even the minimum wage in several cities. At Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), workers who prepare food for American and other airlines make as little as $8.20 per hour.

In response, the poorest workers in the airline industry are embarking on a tour to tell American Airlines they are Fed Up with poverty wages, unsafe working conditions and an ever-diminishing passenger experience. 13 airline food workers will first gather in Charlotte before visiting Washington, Philadelphia and New York—all American Airlines hub cities—on their way to American’s annual shareholders meeting. Along the way, workers will take part in events calling on titans of the industry to change their ways, and will invite disgruntled passengers to join them.

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UNITE HERE is a union with over 270,000 members in the U.S. and Canada, including 37,000 airline catering and concessions workers. It represents 15,000 airline catering workers, employees of Gate Gourmet, Flying Food Group and LSG Sky Chefs, at 51 airports across the country.