US: Hundreds of Chicago O'Hare airport workers go on strike

Hundreds of workers are striking at Chicago O'Hare International Airport on Tuesday. Janitors, baggage handlers, cabin cleaners and wheelchair attendants are asking for a $15 hourly wage. Some currently make $10.50 an hour, which is the minimum wage in Chicago. The effort is part of a broader "Day of Disruption" planned by activist group Fight for $15, which advocates for raising the minimum wage. Uber drivers, fast food workers and home care aides will also walk out on Tuesday. The Chicago Department of Aviation said that despite the work stoppage operations at the nation's second busiest airport continued to run smoothly. Federal employees, including air traffic controllers and security screeners, are not joining the strike. The striking workers aren't aiming to disrupt travel, a spokeswoman for the Service Employees International Union said at a press conference last week. "They do want to gain public support," she said. The airport workers aren't part of the Service Employees International Union, but the group is backing them. Though the walkout isn't likely to strand passengers, it could cause some operational hiccups.<br/>