The workers who deliver food and beverage service at the American Airlines Phoenix Admirals Clubs have walked out during their union’s first contract fight over wages, pension, and scope.
These bartenders, cooks, servers and dishwashers aren’t American Airlines employees, they work for contractor Compass Eurest. And they’re striking today picketing at Phoenix airport terminal 4 on the North side Level 1, Door 1.
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The union is negotiating its first collective bargaining agreement. One current Compass Eurest Phoenix Admirals Club lounge job posting for a lounge floor attendant lists fixed pay at $17.51 per hour, about 16% above Arizona’s current minimum wage of $15.15. On a full-time basis this would equate to about $36,421 per year.
100% of employees voted to to authorize a strike at the end of April.
Compass workers in the AA Lounges at Sky Harbor Airport are fighting for a fair contract!
Workers are in negotiations for their first collective bargaining agreement in Arizona. Just last month workers voted 100% to authorize a strike and could walk out any day. pic.twitter.com/9VQe9vy0Xh— UNITE HERE Arizona (@UNITEHERE11AZ) May 27, 2026
According to an American Airlines spokesperson,
We’re working with our local teams to ensure our customers’ Admirals Club experiences remain as consistent as possible during this period. We expect minimal impact and are focused on caring for our customers.
The likely customer impact revolves around food and beverage, especially replenishment and cleaning, as well as wait times. To the extent disruption is minimal that may say as much about the lounge offerings in Phoenix as the contribution of the employees of its contractor.
It’s a bit awkward for American while they’re promoting lounge dining upgrades, which includes expanded Admirals Club hot items and a Phoenix summer dish rollout (“Rustic zucchini and flame-roasted corn”).
A food and beverage vendor staff strike undercuts that narrative, even though these aren’t American Airlines employees. However, American’s Phoenix lounges are barely worth visiting to begin with. They fall into the same category as the other legacy US Airway hub lounges which haven’t seen renovation (e.g. Philadelphia and Charlotte) where there’s simply too many passengers, not enough space, and an inferior product.
The Phoenix hub desperately needs investment. There’s a new Philadelphia A West club along with business class Flagship lounge (but the rest needs work). Charlotte is getting a new Admirals Club and business class lounge. Legacy hub Washington National has a new club, the airline’s gorgeous new aesthethic (E concourse) and is renovating one as well (D concourse). Nothing has been announced for Phoenix.
Maybe when the pleads find out there’s only pretzels and carrot sticks (which is what you got 20 years ago) they will walk out. Particularly if no free booze.
Hey George.
Did you mean “plebes?”
A few years back there was rumor that the PHX high “A” club was going to be doubled by taking over the crew rest area near the club that has been moved to another location. Then proceed to low “A” and low “B” through 2028. Been crickets since it was first rumored, but AA has increased mainline flying and plane size (lots more A321/737 during the summer for instance) taking pressure off LAX (which is more destination then hub) and the growth of the PHX business community and partnerships with Porter and Starlux. So hopefully AA will invest in this hub since we are growing and making money.
In a free society, the employer would have the option to fire any worker who chooses to not perform their job duties. As it should be.
@Mike P — Here we go again… your typical ‘sovereign citizen’-level nonsense. You’re so obsessed with corporate absolute rule that you forget a truly free market includes the freedom of association and a ‘right’ to withhold labor. But I guess in your corporate utopia, “freedom” only applies to the boss, while the workers are expected to just sit down, shut up, and accept whatever scraps they’re thrown. Go back to “travelling” in your non-commercial vehicle.
The AAdmirals Clubs in Phoenix are disgusting. They are throwbacks to America West (bad dream; in my opinion America West destroyed AA, they may have given AA a financial lifestream, but, they otherwise destroyed AA).
I believe the food service workers in the PHX AAdmirals Clubs should be paid more than a measly $17.51 hour. This is precisely why AA has outsourced that function, AA could never pay someone in that role $17.51 an hour. Those employees are deserving of $21.00 to $25.00 an hour, with cost of living raises factored into their Collective Bargaining Agreement, each year.
The food in the PHX AAdmirals Clubs is disgusting. I don’t blame the striking food service workers for AA’s terrible food.
####Union Strong####
@Mike P. . .AZ is a right for work state so your “free society” BS doesn’t hold water. Crack a book or maybe the Constitution if you can read.
@1990 and sunviking…You are both so ignorant that it stuns the senses.
“You’re so obsessed with corporate absolute rule that you forget a truly free market includes the freedom of association and a ‘right’ to withhold labor.”
That’s correct, and in a free society, that means a “freedom of association” applies to everyone, including employers. And if those employers choose not to associate with a group of workers, that should be their choice. Right?
“AZ is a right for work state so your “free society” BS doesn’t hold water. Crack a book or maybe the Constitution if you can read.”
This might actually be a dumber statement than the one made by 1990. It’s a toss-up. In a “free society,” we wouldn’t have “right to work” laws or laws and regulations relating to unionization. Additionally, the Constitution addresses this issue through the First Amendment. I believe it is you who needs to do your homework.
I’m always amazed by the comments made by the “know-it-alls” who know nothing.
@Mike P — It seems you support the ‘free market’ only until labor actually exercises its leverage. So, you’re not honoring or defending the US Constitution; you’re trying to impose corporate feudalism, which is the opposite of freedom; it’s submission. (So, uh, you got a master-servant kink, bud? Is that it? Listen, I won’t ‘yuck your yum,’ unless your ‘yum’ is hurting workers who do not consent.)
” It seems you support the ‘free market’ only until labor actually exercises its leverage. So, you’re not honoring or defending the US Constitution; you’re trying to impose corporate feudalism, which is the opposite of freedom; it’s submission.”
In a “free market,” all participants are equal and free to make choices in their best interest. So, workers are free to withhold their labor and employers are free to decide how to respond to their workers’ choices. Sorry, but you don’t get to reframe my position to “prove” your argument. Also, in a free society, the workers’ leverage includes withholding their labor from a particular employer and offering it to another. It wouldn’t include holding the employer “hostage” to their demands.
Instead of offering your weak-minded bromides, apply facts, logic, and principles to your views, and just maybe you’ll remove the label of “hypocrite”.
@Mike P — Now you care about “equality”… LOL. You’re not fooling anyone, bud.
When you’ve got nothing to counter my argument, it’s a good idea to “cut bait and run”.
@Mike P — More like, keep giving you a little more rope…
They are contract “at will” emplyees in a right to wotlrk state. Hell im retired and drive a school bus with a class a cdl @ 18.75 an hour. Administration doesnt care. You dont like it? We eill just get another body. Arizona has always been that way.
@Jwinthedesert — Sir, if you’re still earnin’ hourly are you really even retired yet? Ya know, the Arizona Office of Tourism should hire you as its new spokesperson: “Come to AZ, where you’re ‘just another body’…” Unfortunately, the role is part-time, no medical, $15/hour, so maybe stick to the bus. (Sheesh, when the water runs out, gonna be a lot more ‘bodies.’ Probably should prepare better for that and also treat your fellow human beings with greater dignity. Oh, who am I kidding, smoke ‘em if you got ‘em!) *builds more data centers anyway*
As I started to read the headline, my mind finished in another way:
“American Airlines Lounge Food Workers Strike At Phoenix Airport” and no lounge guest notices.
Since the company AA hired to provide the services isn’t providing them, can’t AA hire a new firm to do the work and, Oops, Compass Eurest has to layoff the stricking employees.
“this comes to mind” seems to have the two best answers. AA likely has a performance clause in the contract so the union is taking a stand at the expense of the employees, not the union staffers.