NELP’s report, “Soaring Poverty at the Philadelphia International Airport: How Low Wage Airport Jobs Keep Philadelphia #1 for Poverty,” takes a sobering look at the economic machinations of the airport and its subcontractors while also providing personal stories from several low-wage employees.

This report comes at a time with City Council has introduced several measures to extend leases to the airport and its array of airlines. Also in play is the forthcoming multi-billion dollar expansion of the airport, and the jobs and revenue that expansion will create. This report also coincides with Councilman W. Wilson Goode Jr.’s continued push for wide acceptance and implementation of Goode’s 21st Century Minimum Wage and Benefits Ordinance.

“We are encouraged by Councilman Goode’s efforts to apply a living wage to airport workers,” said Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ Mid-Atlantic District Director Wayne MacManiman. “We will strongly support Councilman Goode’s initiative when it makes it on the ballot.”

For this report, NELP partnered with SEIU 32BJ — an active union that supports members and nonmembers alike in fair wage compensation issues.

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“These poll results simply underscore what New Jerseyans have been telling their elected officials for years,” said Kevin Brown, 32BJ SEIU New Jersey State Director and President of SEIUs New Jersey State Council. “They have been asking for a commonsense solution to the country’s broken immigration system that includes a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.”

The poll, conducted by Harper Polling, was sponsored by the Alliance for Citizenship, Partnership for a New American Economy and Republicans for Immigration Reform, three organizations who represent the broad support for immigration reform from across the political spectrum.

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Members of the PA Joint Board, Workers United, SEIU overwhelmingly ratified a new three year agreement with VF Majestic, the Easton company that makes all of the on-field baseball players uniforms.

“I am pleased that we got a contract with affordable health care. I’d like to thank VF for working with us to ensure that workers get good benefits,” said VF garment worker, Samuel Patti.

The agreement maintains the workers’ current level of health insurance benefits without significant increases in worker premiums, as well as providing for fair pay raises.  During the negotiations, the workers received the support of the Major League Baseball Players Association.

“The members of the PA Joint Board, Workers United SEIU greatly appreciate the support they received from the Major League Baseball Players Association and look forward to working with VF to keep the MLB equipped with uniforms that are made in America,” said David Melman, manager of Pennsylvania Joint Board of Workers United, SEIU.

With more than 125,000 members, including 22,000 in Pennsylvania, 32BJ is the largest property services union in the country.

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“US Airways is the largest airline in the world, yet thousands of airport workers in Philadelphia are stuck in poverty,” said Philadelphia International airport worker, Onetha McKnight. “It’s not fair that my co-workers and I will continue to make poverty wages while US Airways makes record profits.”

Although Council voted to remove harmful anti-worker labor peace language, yesterday’s vote cemented that the city’s 21st Century Minimum Wage Standard will not be applied to subcontracted airport workers as part of the lease agreement. The final vote is expected on June 20.

However, Councilman Wilson Goode Jr. offered hope for airport workers by introducing legislation to amend the city’s Home Rule Charter to apply the 21st Century Minimum Wage Standard for contracted and subcontracted workers in future leases and contracts. The next opportunity to amend the Home Rule Charter would be during the May primary or fall 2014 election.

“We are encouraged by Councilman Goode’s efforts to apply a living wage to airport workers. We will strongly support Councilman Goode’s initiative when it makes it on the ballot,” said Wayne MacManiman, 32BJ SEIU Mid-Atlantic District Director.

Earlier this week, the National Employment Law Project released a new report, Soaring Poverty at the Philadelphia International Airport, revealing that the medium hourly wage for subcontracted airport workers is $7.85 per hour and that one in five airport workers go hungry.

With more than 125,000 members, including 10,000 in the Philadelphia area, 32BJ is the largest property services union in the country.
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“These poll results simply underscore what New Jerseyans have been telling their elected officials for years,” said Kevin Brown, 32BJ SEIU New Jersey State Director and President of SEIUs New Jersey State Council. “They have been asking for a commonsense solution to the country’s broken immigration system that includes a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.”

The poll, conducted by Harper Polling, was sponsored by the Alliance for Citizenship, Partnership for a New American Economy and Republicans for Immigration Reform, three organizations who represent the broad support for immigration reform from across the political spectrum.

“New Jersey wants immigration policies that welcome families and immigrant professionals to stay in America and help grow the U.S. economy, create jobs and innovate,” said U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, a member of the bipartisan “Gang of Eight” and a leader in the fight for reform with a path to citizenship. “Comprehensive immigration reform is one of the rare issues that is both good politics and good policy. There is overwhelming bipartisan support for the Senate bill that includes a path to citizenship.”

Both Menendez and Brown will address students at Montclair State University tomorrow on the American Dream Act.

According to the poll, voters in New Jersey support the Gang of Eight bill by large margins. Moreover, the results show that there is a genuine imperative for members of Congress to support the bill as constituents said they are more likely to vote for an elected official who votes for reform.

Highlights of the findings include:

• 62% of those polled said they strongly or somewhat support bipartisan immigration reform legislation being debated in Washington;
• 71% of those polled said they strongly or somewhat support a bill that includes a tough but fair path to citizenship;
•  59% of those polled are more likely to vote for an elected official who supports comprehensive immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship.
• 87% of those polled said it was very or somewhat important that the U.S. fix its immigration system this year.
• Of those polled, 32% identified as Republicans, 44% as Democrats, and 24% as Independents.

Full results of the poll can be found here.

The post New Jersey Voters Overwhelmingly Back Bipartisan Senate Immigration Bill appeared first on 32BJ SEIU.

A video for the union’s campaign for immigration reform was launched earlier this week featuring Hartford office cleaner Ciro Gutierrez and his family’s American Dream story.

WHAT: Flag Day rally for a path to citizenship

WHEN: Friday, June 14, 2013 at 4:30pm

WHERE: Stamford Government Center, 888 Washington Boulevard

WHO: Alberto Bernardez, 32BJ SEIU Area Leader

Gerson Guerrero, immigrant office cleaner and 32BJ SEIU member

Representatives from U.S. Senators Blumenthal and Murphy’s offices, and Congressman Himes’ office

With more than 125,000 members in nine states, including 4,500 in Connecticut, 32BJ SEIU is the largest property service workers union in the country.

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 Call 877-760-9119 to tell your Senator the time is now for immigration reform. 

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They’ve held protests, filed federal safety complaints and, most recently, petitioned City Council to refuse to renew the city’s lease agreement with US Airways unless it included a provision extending wage protections to subcontracted employees – all to no avail.

But on Tuesday – the same day the National Employment Law Project will release a report detailing the economic impact and demographics of Philadelphia airport workers – Councilman Wilson Goode, Jr. announced he will introduce legislation extending the Philadelphia 21st Century Minimum Wage and Benefits ordinance to city sub-lessees and subcontractors.

The city in 2005 enacted the Goode Jr.-sponsored Minimum Wage and Benefits ordinance requiring employers who are recipients of city leases to pay workers a living wage.

The post Can Councilman Wilson Goode Jr. Save Philadelphia Airport Workers? appeared first on 32BJ SEIU.

Download the report here

“Philadelphia is the nation’s largest big city for poverty. It should come as no surprise that one in five low-wage Philly airport workers go hungry,” said Paul Sonn, Legal Co-Director of NELP. “The Philadelphia International Airport’s low-bid contracting system creates a race to the bottom that keeps workers in poverty and deprives Philadelphia of badly needed economic activity.”

George Walker, a cabin cleaner with Prospect, earns $8.00 per hour and continuously struggles to make ends meet.

“I am over 50 and tired of living in poverty. I am the only income earner in my family and it is hard to pay the bills. A living wage would mean that I would have more money to pay for medicine for my wife,” said Walker.

Onetha McKnight of Southwest Philadelphia has worked at the Philadelphia International Airport for six years and has never seen a raise.

“I started at $7 per hour and still make $7 per hour. I receive tips but tips are not guaranteed,” said McKnight. “I find it difficult to make ends meet on poverty wages. There’s not always enough left at the end of the month to pay my bills.”

Many of those who work at the airport aren’t actually employed by the airport or the airlines. Jobs that were once directly performed by airline employees have been contracted out to private contractors who pay low wages and don’t provide affordable benefits.

The report finds that contracted airport workers are overwhelmingly African American or African immigrants. Despite working full time, most families surveyed reported earning less than $16,000 per year.

Despite the fact that baggage handlers, cabin cleaners, sky caps and wheelchair attendants earn low wages, the report finds that the airline industry is thriving.

Among the report’s findings was the revelation that the average wage for subcontracted PHL airport workers is $7.85 per hour while the hourly wage of US Airways CEO, Doug Parker, is $2,640 per hour. US Airways also reported its highest annual profit ever in 2012.

The report release comes days after the Transportation and Public Utilities Committee, chaired by Councilman Kenyatta Johnson, passed a lease with US Airways that leaves 2,000 airport workers stuck in poverty. The Council still has an opportunity to amend the lease on the floor so that it includes living wage and other protections for subcontracted workers at the airport.

“City Council still has a chance to make this right for the 2,000 airport workers who need a living wage, said Bishop Dwayne Royster of POWER. “We must take this opportunity to lift hard working Philadelphians out of poverty and turn low wage airport jobs into good jobs.”

Download the report here

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