Dozens of workers at Charlotte Douglas International Airport walked out for 24 hours on October 14, 2026, after cabin cleaner Colleen Coates died while working in extreme heat. Coates, 55, was employed by ABM and collapsed on a jet bridge as she waited to clean an American Airlines aircraft. She could not be resuscitated.
Coworkers and advocates cited the heat as a contributing factor. Cardinal & Pine described the action as a one-day unfair labor practice strike by airport workers represented by 32BJ SEIU.
The workers sought higher wages, safer conditions and clearer rules for paid time off. Branson Andrew, an airport employee, said workers earned $12.50 an hour. Michelle Wilson said Coates’ death pushed her to speak up: “When this happened with Colleen, it was like, oh my God, we really have to stand up.”
Their demands also included union recognition. Workers said managers needed to address complaints about harassment, verbal abuse and intimidation, alongside safety concerns.
A disputed 20-hour leave balance sharpened workers’ demands
Workers signed a petition calling for basic protections, a safer workplace and greater transparency around paid leave. Earlier that week, they tried to deliver the petition at two management offices. No one opened the doors.
Niecy Brown, district director for the Workers United union in North Carolina, said Coates had asked about her paid-time-off balance before September 17. A spokesperson for 32BJ, a separate union, said human resources told Coates she had no time remaining.
After Coates died, Brown said, the company posted a balance showing 20 hours of unused leave. ABM declined to comment on that claim. The discrepancy became part of workers’ demand for a more transparent paid-time-off policy.
Coates belonged to the Service Employees International Union, according to the Charlotte-Metrolina Labor Council. Organizers said she had serious health conditions and had recently been hospitalized, but continued working to pay for medications and doctor visits. They said she feared that taking care of herself could cost her job.
Brown said workers were seeking “respect” through better pay, benefits and holidays. She also criticized the company’s response, saying, “ABM has been silent. Just moving on, work as usual.”
Charlotte City Councilwoman Dimple Ajmera voiced support for the workers. She said they deserved safe conditions, transparency about earned leave and confidence that their concerns mattered. “No one should have to choose between their health, their family, and their paycheck,” she said.
ABM cited workplace commitments as American Airlines stayed silent
ABM said it respected employees’ right to speak out and described team members’ safety and well-being as fundamental to its operations. The company cited commitments to safe working conditions, competitive wages and benefits, and a workplace where staff could raise concerns.
It said it was focused on supporting employees while minimizing disruption to airport operations. American Airlines had not commented on the strike by contracted workers as of October 14.
ABM provides cabin cleaning, facility maintenance and other services for commercial airlines. The company’s previous strike took place during the Thanksgiving holidays in 2024.
Airport safety concerns now intersect with a $2.1 billion expansion debate
Workers raised safety concerns during the city’s airline lease negotiations in April, asking leaders to put worker protections on the table. Braxton Winston, president of the NC AFL-CIO, said the city had a responsibility as landlord to maintain standards for airport tenants.
“We believe that there is a role that the city can and should play as a landlord, that certain standards are upkept by their tenants,” Winston said.
City leaders are debating a proposed 10-and-a-half-year airline agreement tied to a $2.1 billion expansion. Plans include an expanded Concourse C, a new passenger tunnel and improvements to international arrivals.
The City Council voted 6-5 to require at least 45 days to review the proposed lease agreement before deciding. Mayor Robert Harrington vetoed that measure, saying he wanted to work with council members on a different timeline. After the veto, the council expected to vote on the agreement in the coming weeks.
