Airport workers rally at JFK for better wages and benefits, improved working condition

Members of 32BJ SIEU kick off a new campaign for better wages and benefits with a rally at JFK’s Terminal 8 on Thursday.

Photos by Lloyd Mitchell

Hundreds of airport service workers braved the cold on Thursday and rallied outside JFK’s Terminal 8 as 32BJ SEIU launched New York’s “First and Last” campaign to demand improved wages and fair labor standards from private sector employers.

Joined by 32BJ SEIU Executive Vice President and Political Director Candis Tall, airport workers demanded paid time off, employer-paid healthcare, and higher wages for more than 40,000 airport workers at JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark airports, the busiest aviation hub in the country.

“Airport workers are among the first people that millions of travelers see when they arrive at and depart from JFK, LaGuardia and Newark airports. They are the ‘first and last’ essential workers at our airports,” Tall said. “While airlines have made record profits, wages and benefits of the workers keeping airports running are lagging. It is not enough for airport workers to be called ‘essential’ when they are needed; they also must receive the wages, health benefits, and labor standards that recognize this undeniable fact.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, airport workers were celebrated as essential worker heroes. They were on the frontlines to make sure we got where we needed to go. Now, airport workers are demanding that their sacrifices be recognized and their labor standards improved to ensure family-sustaining wages, adequate and affordable healthcare, and meaningful paid time off. When workers have fair labor standards, we create the foundation for stronger, safer airports for workers and travelers alike.

“As a founding member of 32BJ SEIU’s airport’s division, I’ve taken part in every major effort to improve the working conditions at JFK, LGA, and EWR,” said Donna Hampton, 32BJ member and airport security officer. “Whether we were fighting for $19 per hour or…