Service workers at John F. Kennedy, LaGuardia, and Newark Liberty International airports gathered this month to protest stagnating wages and inadequate benefits, pushing the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to update its existing workplace standards rules so that all airport service workers’ compensation keeps up with rising costs. These workers — including cleaners, wheelchair agents, baggage handlers, caterers, concessions and cargo workers — report struggling to stretch their wages enough to cover basic living necessities, like rent, utilities and car payments, while also fearing the loss of health care coverage.
Research shows that when airport service workers are poorly compensated, the public also pays the price as airports struggle to retain qualified workers. By raising its minimum standards now, the Port Authority could support safer, more efficient air travel for countless Americans every day.
The above excerpt was originally published in Crain's New York Business.
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