Workers at Charlotte airport, an American Airlines hub, go on strike during Thanksgiving travel week

Workers who clean airplanes, remove trash and help with wheelchairs at Charlotte's airport, one of the nation's busiest, went on strike Monday during a busy week of Thanksgiving travel to demand higher wages. The Service Employees International Union announced the strike in a statement early Monday, saying the workers would demand “an end to poverty wages and respect on the job during the holiday travel season.” The strike was expected to last 24 hours, said union spokesperson Sean Keady. Employees of ABM and Prospect Airport Services cast ballots Friday to authorize the work stoppage at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, a hub for American Airlines. The two companies contract with American, one of the world's biggest carriers, to provide services such as cleaning airplane interiors, removing trash and escorting passengers in wheelchairs. American doesn’t expect “any significant disruption” to its flights this week as a result of the strike, the company said in a statement. More than 30 American flights at the Charlotte airport — about 4% of the airline's flights — were delayed at midafternoon Monday, according to FlightAware, which isn’t out of the ordinary. Workers say they previously complained that they can't afford basic necessities, including food, housing or car repairs. They described living paycheck to paycheck while performing jobs that keep planes running on schedule. Most of them earn $12.50 to $19 an hour, union officials said.<br/>