A union trying to organize the janitors, baggage handlers, security officers and other low-wage workers at O'Hare International Airport said it filed 80 wage theft complaints Wednesday with the city and state, accusing airport contractors of stiffing workers on their paychecks.þþCalling the complaints ÿthe tip of the icebergÿ and wage theft at the airport ÿserious and widespread,ÿ Tom Balanoff, president of Service Employees International Union Local 1, called on government agencies to investigate and for the city to follow standards when awarding contracts.þþÿWith airline profits soaring, O'Hare could be an economic engine for the entire city,ÿ Balanoff said at a news conference Wednesday morning at City Hall announcing the complaints. ÿInstead, workers are being cheated out of their wages, struggling to get by, and many rely on public assistance to make ends meet.ÿþþSEIU Local 1 estimates O'Hare workers were cheated out of $1 million over a year when they worked off the clock, didn't get overtime pay, or when tipped employees, like wheelchair attendants, didn't earn enough tips to reach the standard minimum wage.
Source: Chicago Tribune
