Rhode Island airport workers authorize strike as contract talks stall

Seventy-two food and beverage workers at T.F. Green International Airport voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike, raising the stakes for Grove Bay Hospitality Group as contract talks dragged past the expiration of their most recent agreement. About 98% of the bargaining unit backed the move, and UNITE HERE Local 26 gave the company until June 22 to reach a new deal before workers could walk out.

The workers have been without a contract since the previous one expired on Aug. 1, 2025. They said the airport food court has been closed for renovations, a change that has added uncertainty on top of the usual pressure of airport service work, where staff depend on steady traffic to protect hours and earnings. At the same time, the wage structure inside the operation has remained sharply divided: hosts and cashiers make about $16.50 an hour, while servers earn roughly $4.19 to $5.30 an hour plus tips.

That split will sound familiar to Taco Bell crews and managers who know how fast pay debates become staffing problems. When raises lag, schedules tighten, and tip-based or lower-wage workers see little room to catch up, frustration can move from the break room to a strike vote. At T.F. Green, workers are not only fighting over wages but over the basic rhythm of the job, including whether renovation-related disruptions will leave them with fewer shifts and less stability.

The dispute also landed in a fast-growing airport. Rhode Island Airport Corporation said in March 2025 that T.F. Green was the fastest-growing major airport in the United States, and it later reported that passenger traffic rose 11% and seat capacity rose 10% over the 12 months ending October 2025. That growth has sharpened attention on the labor fight because airport service workers are part of the experience that keeps the terminal moving, especially with heavy World Cup-related travel expected to push more passengers through the region.

Local elected officials have already leaned in. Rep. David Morales backed the workers on June 16, saying the airport’s success depends on frontline employees and that workers deserve livable wages. Three Warwick-area senators, Peter A. Appollonio Jr., Matthew L. LaMountain and Mark McKenney, followed on June 18 with support for the workers and a call for a fair contract after more than a year without one.

Grove Bay has been expanding aggressively in airport concessions, including a Spring House Seafood Grill at T.F. Green that spans 1,900 square feet and 85 seats at North Terminal Gate 11. But the strike vote shows that growth alone does not settle labor tensions. For airport concessions, like quick-service restaurants, the warning signs are familiar: stalled pay progression, unstable scheduling and a workforce that eventually decides negotiations have gone nowhere.