Thirteen people were arrested during a sit-down protest at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport highlighting poor conditions for disabled passengers due to "poverty wages" paid to airport staff.
Airport police booked 13 people for unlawful assembly, including members of airport staff, disability-rights activists and union officials.
Over 100 people took part in the civil disobedience which was called to bring attention to the plight of workers subcontracted by Delta Air Lines to provide wheelchair service at the airport, the SEIU union said.
Disability passenger services employees at the airport had been trying to organize union recognition for two years and presented their grievances to officials of the Metropolitan Airports Commission just prior to the demonstration.
Several hundred wheelchair attendants at MSP are paid $7.25 an hour with no benefits, the union claimed.
Understaffing due to low wages and a lack of resources impacts on the level of service afforded to elderly and disabled passengers, protesters said.
One wheelchair agent at the airport, Darcy Landau said: "I’m embarrassed about the way we treat passengers."
Although workers are employed by a sub-contractor, the protest is leveled directly at the carrier they provide services for – Delta Air Lines.
The airline has twice been fined by the Department of Transportation for its disability services.
In 2003 Delta was ordered to pay $1.35 million not providing adequate wheelchair assistance and again $2 million in 2011.
Delta spokeswoman Kate Modolo argued that the carrier takes "pride in providing a positive travel experience for our customers with disabilities."
