Airport Protest Draws Mixed Reactions From Locals and Tourists

As union members and supporters protested at the international airport, locals and tourists looked on, some unclear on the motives, while others stood either in support or against.  While at the airport, our newsroom spoke with several bystanders to get their take on the situation with some encouraging the movement.

Reporter: Do you understand why they’re fighting ? 

“Yes well it’s because the raise and it has taken so long and they’re handling them just pushing them around and they’re not getting their money.”

Reporter: You feel like this is disrupting you in any way ? 

“No not really. They’re protesting I think quite amicable and I think the flow of the airport is just continuing as normal.”

“Everybody has the right to speak out loud for their rights and I think it’s totally normal and fine.”

“Good for them. We see it at home all the time so you know they’re using their voice. Good for them. I think it’s important for them especially if there aren’t institutions that are doing it on their behalf they have every right to do it for themselves.”

On the flip side of the voices of encouragement, some expressed frustration, including a local taxi driver who told our team that while he respects the union’s cause, actions like these also jeopardize the livelihoods of others trying to earn an honest living.

“The business here for tourism coming they don’t know from where their salary comes from. They don’t know that the taxes that we pay, pays them.”

Reporter: So what do you mean that they don’t understand from the tourism…

“They try to jeopardize our jobs and we are the ones that pay them. We the workers that work, that do not have a salary with the government. We are the ones that pay taxes so that they get paid. They don’t know how we struggle to make a dollar. They now their salary is coming at the end of the month. They don’t know that I don’t have a salary, I have to struggle here to make a dollar so that they get paid. If the government is saying we don’t have the money why will you continue fighting ? It’s like your child starts to fight for a new Nike shoe right ? Because someone else wears a Nike shoe I wouldn’t buy my son a Nike shoe because I cannot afford it. If I cannot afford it I won’t buy my child something that I cannot afford. I cannot give my son $50 a week to spend weekly when I don’t have it. If I have $20 I will give him $20 I won’t be able to afford $50, that’s common sense. If they were smart, if they would teach our kids properly they should know because all you need to do is take a book and read to understand what’s going on and right now worse the thing is getting worse with Iran and Israel and all the wars that are going on where do you think we’re going?”

The unions are expected to continue protesting, come tomorrow.