“The Port Authority once again turned its back on the thousands of hardworking men and women who keep our area airports safe and comfortable for millions of passengers. The Port Commissioners had an opportunity to do the right thing and treat New Jersey airport workers as equal to their co-workers across the river. Instead, they chose to devalue Newark Airport and relegate those workers to second class citizenship. This adds insult to injury, as airport workers continue to wait for a long overdue promise to raise wages and improve the benefits of 41,000 workers — a plan that could change the lives of families and communities across New York and New Jersey while strengthening the security of our airports in a time of ever increasing instability and anxiety. It’s time for the Port to take seriously its role overseeing the safety, security and functioning of all of the airports in its purview, to stop playing politics at the expense of both workers and passengers, and for Chairman Degnan to drop his coldhearted campaign to keep thousands of hardworking New Jersey families in poverty. The Port Authority must deliver on its promise to raise the wages and improve the benefits of 41,000 workers, and it must do it now.”

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Around the country, contracted airport workers are coming together in Airport Workers United, a movement of workers and their allies, raising their voices for $15 and union rights to make our airports safe and secure for passengers, employees and our communities. Today, more than 70,000 workers nationwide have either received wages increases or other improvements, including healthcare, paid sick leave and worker retention policies as a result of the workers’ campaign.