Delta, United Workers at JFK, La Guardia Airports Plan Strike for Wednesday

UPDATE: The strike has been canceled.

More than 1,000 workers subcontracted out to Delta Airlines at the La Guardia airport — and to British Airways and United at JFK — will launch a strike this Wednesday night at 10 p.m., according to their union.

They will be protesting their employer, Aviation Safeguards, and its ”repeated, illegal threats” to repress their fight for a $15-per-hour salary, says their union, 32BJ SEIU, in a statement.

Delta Airlines subcontracts employees from Aviation Safeguards at La Guardia.

United Airlines and British Airways subcontract employees from Aviation Safeguards at JFK.

Around 1,200 airport security officers, baggage handlers and wheelchair attendants will partake in what their union is calling ”the largest airport worker strike in recent history.”

Sources involved in the strike tell Patch that the entire strike will last 24 hours, from 10 p.m. on Wednesday to 10 p.m. on Thursday.

JFK workers, or about one-quarter of protesters, will strike for the full 24 hours. La Guardia workers, or about three-quarters of protesters, will strike from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday.

It’s still unclear how these strikes will affect airport operations and flight schedules, if at all.

In a statement sent to Patch, Delta says:

While Aviation Safeguards and SEIU 32BJ continue to discuss their concerns, Delta will be taking measures to ensure that our more than 35,000 customers booked through LaGuardia on Thursday are not affected.

A spokesman for United tells Bloomberg that it has contingency plans in place for any strike.

And here’s a statement from British Airways:

We have been assured by our ground service provider that there will be no impact on our operations.