Council Urges Airport Panel to Give Relief to Businesses

The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to ask the city’s Airport Commission to consider extending additional relief to airport businesses hit hard by a steep drop in sales after the terrorist attacks.

Council members also expressed concern about allegations made by union representatives that concessionaires at LAX are taking advantage of workers after Sept. 11 by cutting jobs, hours and work breaks.

Several council members suggested that the Airport Commission help struggling businesses by extending their contracts to operate LAX’s retail shops and restaurants. The lawmakers said that could provide an incentive to concessionaires to preserve jobs and rehire those workers who lost their jobs after the attacks.

“The question is, if we extend contracts with tenants at LAX, will this give employers a chance to extend jobs?” said Councilman Ed Reyes.

The commission voted in December to provide $9.5 million in rent relief to some airport businesses. The program allowed concessionaires to skip their monthly minimum payments from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31. Instead, rent was to be pegged to a percentage of sales.

But council members said Tuesday that the airport should do more to help concessionaires and workers.

“I would like to reiterate my commitment to workers at LAX as well as the vendors and contractors there,” said Councilwoman Janice Hahn. “Clearly this Airport Commission may not be going far enough.”