LAX officials are advising travelers to leave plenty of extra time to get to—and through—the airport on Tuesday, as union wage protests are expected to disrupt traffic in the area. Forty fast-food, home-care, child-care and other workers were arrested at an earlier rally in downtown Los Angeles this morning after protestors blocked the intersection of Seventh and Alameda Streets, according to LAPD Officer Liliana Preciado. Today's L.A. protests are part of a larger day of action across the nation, as workers rally in support of a $15-per-hour minimum wage and broader union rights. Los Angeles passed minimum wage legislation in June 2014; under the city's ordinance the minimum wage will gradually increase until it reaches $15-per-hour in 2020.
Los Angeles Airport Police spokesman Rob Pedregon told LAist that travelers should allow themselves at least an additional hour to get through the airport, along with anticipating additional traffic in the surrounding areas. Flight operations are not expected to be delayed. Protest organizers say the airport-area action is intended to send a message to the airlines "that it's time they take responsibility for those whose dedication and hard work help to generate $36 billion in profits for the aviation industry,'' according to City News Service.
The LAX protest will be two-fold: several hundred workers are expected to demonstrate in the Central Air Terminal beginning at 10 a.m., which Pedregon says could cause possible delays or lane closures on the airport's lower level. There will also be a large rally held at Century and Airport boulevards beginning at noon. Airport Boulevard will be closed between Century and 98th Street from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Travelers are also urged to avoid the area of 98th Street between Sepulveda and Airport boulevards until after 11 a.m.
