1,000 Restaurant Workers Strike at SFO During Epic Storm

Today's mega rain was already poised to disrupt travel at San Francisco International Airport. But throw in a strike from SFO restaurant workers, and you've got the perfect holiday travel shitstorm. Beginning this morning, over 1,000 restaurant workers went on a 48-hour strike in a fight for higher wages, health care benefits and job security. The restaurant worker's union behind the strike, UNITE HERE Local 2, has even advised travelers passing through SFO to bring their own food to the airport.

Yikes: If you're heading to #SFO, bring your own food. Food service workers are on strike. Gonna be a long day at the #airport.

— David Hu (@specialforkdave) December 11, 2014

The fight stems from a proposed freeze on health care payments, which would subtract over $4,200 per year from workers' already low paychecks. According to the union, workers earn an average of $24,124, a paltry sum given the Bay Area's high cost of living. Workers and the union have been negotiating with the SFO Airport Restaurant Employer Council, which represents the restaurant owners, for over a year. They're also seeking increased job security— currently, there's no guarantee workers will remain employees of the airport when a given dining outlet closes, as frequently happens.

SFO spokesman Doug Yakel says that "Over 80 percent of the restaurants at SFO are currently open," as well as all retail locations offering packaged food and beverages. But the union has different numbers: they say 55 of the airport's dining outlets will be affected during the strike. Our count of the total outlets, confirmed by SFO staff last month, is 58, which means basically all of them are in trouble (or have found scabs to handle the missed shifts). With passengers from over 235 cancelled flights hungrily roaming the airport, this is not good news.

SFO has weather delays and food workers picked today to strike. Stranded travelers won't have anywhere to get ripped off for a meal.

— Never Sleeping Again (@okerland) December 11, 2014

#SFO restaurant workers shutdown airport concessions. #SFOstrike #BYOF pic.twitter.com/mrAPSilDZg

— UNITE HERE Local 2 (@UniteHereLocal2) December 11, 2014

SFO did confirm that all of the 37 restaurants below will be closed during the wrath of Stormpocalypse. If you're stuck at SFO, peruse Eater's Airport Dining Guide for some alternative options, or ditch the airport, head cityside and check out these places that are #OpeninSF.

Andale Taqueria
Boudin Bakery
Buena Vista Café
Burger Joint
Cat Cora Cocktail Lounge
Dogpatch
Ebisu
Emporio Rulli
Firewood Café
Firewood Grill
Fraiche Yogurt
Go Bistro
Gordon Biersch
Guava & Java
Just Desserts
Klein’s Deli
Lark Creek Grill
Legends of San Francisco
Lori’s Diner
Max’s
Mission Bar and Grill
Napa Farms Market
Peet’s Coffee & Tea
Perry’s
The Plant Café Organic / Pinkberry
PIQ
San Francisco Soup Co.
Sankaku
Soup & Salad Works
Subway
Tomokazu
Urban Tortilla
Wakaba
Willow Creek Grille
Willow Street Pizza
Yankee Pier