If you want to fly just about anywhere in the U.S. there’s a flight for you at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. That’s because Charlotte is an American Airlines hub. The Airline Use & Lease Agreement (AULA) between the city and American guides how many gates the airline gets, how much it pays for them and any capital project responsibilities. The city’s 10-year deal with American Airlines expires in June and negotiations are underway.
In a rainy protest, subcontractors and members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) called on Charlotte leaders to demand higher pay and better benefits for American Airlines subcontractors in the new agreement.
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“We are asking for wages, benefits, and paid time off that we need to take care of our families in the lease,” cabin cleaner Richerd Bertolini said.
But that’s likely not possible. The city says the lease agreement does not regulate tenant wages, employee benefits, or community programs. State law bans any resolution, or policy adopted or imposed on an employer, pertaining to employee compensation, including wage rates and benefits. Simply put, the city says they cannot make a private company pay its employees more money.
The SEIU does not have any direct role in the negotiation, and the city is not aware of any collective bargaining agreement between the SEIU and any airport tenants or contractors.
Charlotte City Councilman JD Mazuera Arias is an avid supporter of the subcontractors. He says if the city can’t do this, he wants to know what the city can do.
“Can we update our safety guidance? Can we improve the way our tenants do business with other subcontractors? These are all questions I’m asking the city attorney,” he said.
ABM is a vendor for Charlotte Douglas International Airport and American Airlines. ABM provides services like cabin cleaning on planes and trash truck driving at CLT. The city says ABM workers earn a minimum starting pay of $15 an hour with a median pay of $16.50 an hour. The city says ABM’s pay under its current contract with CLT is aligned with other airports without regulations, including Philadelphia at $15.06 an hour. Miami and New York have higher hourly wages, but the city points out those cities have higher costs of living. The city says ABM has a 93% retention rate under its CLT contract.
Councilman Mazuera Arias says the Charlotte workers deserve better pay.
“I’m working every avenue that’s legally available to me and to council members of what can we do to improve the conditions of these workers,” he said.
Spokesmen for American Airlines and CLT Airport say SEIU has no role in the active negotiations, and their requests would break state law.
“While we respect the right to collective bargaining, the SEIU does not officially represent any employer at CLT Airport. American does not get involved in discussions between other companies and their employees, and it’s disappointing to see the SEIU’s ongoing narrative misaligned with the facts, particularly regarding the airline’s involvement in vendor wage discussions,” an American Airlines statement said. “American is a proud member of the Charlotte community providing more than 650 daily departures worldwide from Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) and partnering with community organizations — all of which makes Charlotte a more attractive place to live, work, visit and do business. The airline’s hub at CLT drives $30 billion into the state’s economy and powers 150,000 jobs in North Carolina.”
“Aviation is negotiating a successor AULA with its airline partners that will set the terms and conditions for the airlines’ continued use of the terminal facilities and the airfield,” a spokesperson for Charlotte Douglas International Airport said. “The AULA addresses space allocation, rates and charges, capital development and operational roles. The AULA does not regulate tenant wages, employee benefits, or community programs.”
The current AULA between the City and airline companies expires on June 30, 2026. The current signatories to the AULA are American Airlines, Delta, Frontier, Spirit, Southwest, and United Airlines.
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