A strike by about 300 workers at Vancouver International Airport has shut down 16 restaurants at the terminal during one of the busiest periods in the airport's history.

The strike by Local 40 of Unite Here has shutdown outlets run by HMS Host, a U.S.-based multinational food-service contractor. The airport has dozens of other food outlets, so travellers are not expected to have trouble finding something to eat.

But the airport has been operating at close to maximum capacity in recent weeks, with thousands of people coming to B.C. for the 2010 Winter Olympics, which run through Feb. 28.

Union spokeswoman Lynn Flandera said picket lines are up in front of each HMS Host food outlet, including Stanleys, Pacific Grill operations, Tim Hortons, Milestones, Harveys and Palominos, but members are not impeding other airport operations.

"We're picketing HMS host and the HMS host food operation and not picketing other employers," Flandera said on Wednesday morning. "Other union folks have been expressing support for the food service workers for many months now, so we're not trying to block anybody from working with our picket lines."

The union said the main issue is job security.

"Host workers are prepared to strike indefinitely if there isn't movement on the job security issue," Flandera said. "So this is day one, but we're hoping it'll be the only day. But folks are prepared to strike as long as it takes in order to secure their jobs."

Sixty workers at Milestones restaurant in the domestic terminal expect to lose their jobs after the Olympics, despite plans by the employer to open up a Whitespot restaurant nearby, she said.