Airport workers press council on safety and wages; council asks staff and attorney to review legal options

Several airport workers and union representatives addressed the Charlotte City Council during the public forum, urging action to address low wages, understaffing and safety concerns at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

Dominique Chambers, an airport wheelchair agent, told the council the workforce faces "low wages, minimum benefits, and poor working conditions," and said understaffing forced workers to push two passengers at once and left travelers waiting. "Some of my coworkers are living in their cars...because the pay is extremely low," Chambers said.

Danielle Prophet, president of CWA Local 3645, which represents hundreds of airport workers, urged the council to open a committee meeting to review proposed ordinance language that would set workplace standards. "We are not asking for favors. We are demanding fairness, and the time to bring this forward is now," Prophet said. Other union speakers, including a flight attendant and leaders of the Charlotte Metro Labor Council, expressed similar concerns about poverty wages and workplace safety.

Council members discussed possible next steps. Council Member Victoria Watlington asked that the Budget and Intergovernmental Relations Committee investigate airport operations, including safety, hiring and retention and the city’s authority to set policy. City Attorney Anthony Fox told the council he has reviewed the matter and said state law constrains municipal authority to set wages. "The analysis is dictated by the Wage and Hour Act," he said, and the law limits what the city can require of private employers and airport tenants. He recommended legal review and noted the council could refer policy questions to committee for further study.

What the council did Council members signaled interest in committee review; Council Member Watlington specifically requested a referral to the appropriate committee to examine procurement options and other municipal levers. The city attorney said staff can provide legal analysis but that specific ordinance authority is limited by state statute.

Why it matters Airport operators employ thousands of workers and Charlotte Douglas is a major local economic engine. Workers testified that understaffing and low wages affect passenger safety and worker wellbeing. Council members expressed support for studying the issues and asked staff and the city attorney to return with options the council can lawfully pursue.