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Note: During the interview our guest informed us of the breaking news that workers returned to work following the brokering of a deal by Mayor Villaraigosa

Workers at Los Angeles International Airport are expanding their strike today to all airport terminals. Employees who provide services for Southwest, United and American airlines walked off their jobs yesterday afternoon in dispute with their contractors. The strike, which was authorized by the Airport Workers United union last week, commenced after service companies failed to offer a satisfactory proposal in talks this week. The union, which represents 2,500 LAX employees including airplane cabin cleaners, security, baggage handlers, and wheelchair attendants, have demanded for months in negotiations for an increase in pay, better job training, and improved health care benefits. Currently, workers on strike make an average of $19,000 a year. Nearly all of them have no family health care plans and as a result job turnover rates are at 50%. The working conditions that have caused airline service workers to strike fall within the greater picture of the Los Angeles County economy. According to a new report issued by the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy, or LAANE, inequality is on the rise as 30% of full time workers earn under $25,000 a year.

GUEST: Carolina Briones, Co-Director of Research with LAANE

For more information, /www.laane.org/