Metropolitan Airport NewsMetropolitan Airport News
  • Airport News
    • Publisher’s Message
    • Fast Five
    • On Duty
    • Air Cargo
    • Airline News
    • Airport Community
    • Airport Employment News
    • Airport Safety & Security
    • Company Spotlight
    • Ground Services
    • Intermodal
    • New York Aviation History
    • Non-Rev Traveler
  • Airport & Aviation Events
  • Airport Employment
  • Latest Issue
  • Login

Subscribe for Updates

Get the latest local airport and aviation news delivered right into your inbox each week!

News Updates
New program gives access to First Officer jobs while candidates complete their military service

United Launches Industry-leading Program to Provide Active-duty U.S. Military Pilots Conditional Job Offers

September 29, 2023
PANYNJ Unveils New Construction Facility at JFK Airport

PANYNJ Unveils New Construction Facility at JFK Airport

September 29, 2023
Chrissy Toskos, Chief Human Resources Officer, Securitas North America.

Securitas North America Announces Chrissy Toskos as Chief Human Resources Officer

September 27, 2023
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Metropolitan Airport NewsMetropolitan Airport News
  • Airport News
    • Publisher’s Message
    • Fast Five
    • On Duty
    • Air Cargo
    • Airline News
    • Airport Community
    • Airport Employment News
    • Airport Safety & Security
    • Company Spotlight
    • Ground Services
    • Intermodal
    • New York Aviation History
    • Non-Rev Traveler
  • Airport & Aviation Events
  • Airport Employment
  • Latest Issue
  • Login
Metropolitan Airport NewsMetropolitan Airport News
Home»Airport News»Port Authority Board Approves Minimum Wage Increase for Airport Workers
Airport News

Port Authority Board Approves Minimum Wage Increase for Airport Workers

Increases apply to all workers at JFK, LaGuardia and Newark Liberty who will earn minimum of $19/hour by 2023
Metropolitan Airport NewsBy Metropolitan Airport NewsSeptember 28, 2018No Comments5 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email

The Port Authority Board of Commissioners unanimously adopted an expanded minimum wage policy for JFK International, LaGuardia and Newark Liberty International airports that will bring the wages of thousands of airport workers to $19/hour by 2023. The announcement was made on September 27th in a conference call.

The new policy will benefit the traveling public by reducing staff turnover and providing an experienced, well-trained, motivated workforce that can better assist in responding to an emergency, identifying security issues, operating equipment safely, and providing experienced customer service.

The policy adopted by the Board will increase and ultimately align the wages of workers at the three airports, including a $2/hour increase for workers at Newark beginning on November 1, 2018. This represents a nearly $4/hour increase for workers at Newark Airport – primarily catering workers – who were not covered under the previous $10.10 minimum policy.

The campaign to raise wages ended in victory for as many as 40,000 airport workers who are now on a path to earning at least $19 an hour, the highest minimum wage target set by any public agency in the country. The pay increase, which was approved unanimously by the commissioners of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, will raise the wages of tens of thousands of workers over the next five years.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said. “This campaign is about respect and paying a fair living wage for honest work in an industry that depends on its employees to safely operate some of the most important public facilities in our nation – our airports. In New York, we stand with workers and we will always serve as a beacon of progress and opportunity for all.”

“I have long advocated for a living wage for airport workers at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. With today’s vote, the agency has made it clear that they have heard the voices of approximately 40,0000 airport workers who will be impacted by increased wages on both sides of the Hudson,” said New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.

“This is an historic day for the Port Authority. We’d like to express our sincere thanks to the nearly 800 people who submitted written comments, and the hundreds of airport workers who attended our meetings and shared their stories over the years,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “Today’s action will not only make a difference in the lives of airport workers but will enhance security and improve customer service at all of our facilities.”

“There’s no doubt that this new policy will greatly benefit the traveling public,” said Port Authority Vice Chairman Jeffrey Lynford. “Better wages and benefits will result in significantly reduced staff turnover, allowing for better trained and observant employees who can assist in our overall security efforts as well as in emergency situations. It also will improve workplace morale and productivity.”

“The safe and efficient operation of the Port Authority’s airports hinges on a stable, motivated, engaged workforce which can enhance overall security efforts and assist customers in an experienced, knowledgeable and positive fashion,” said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton.
“This is going to be the highest targeted minimum wage anywhere in the country,” said Hector J. Figueroa, president of 32BJ Service Employees International Union, which represents many of the workers. “That’s a significant breakthrough.

Under the new policy, workers at Newark would see their wages increase from the current $10.45 to $12.45 as of November 1, 2018 and to $15.60 by September 1, 2019 – at which point they would be equal to the wages of workers at JFK and LaGuardia. Workers at the two New York airports currently earn a minimum wage of $13 in line with New York State’s minimum wage law, sponsored by Governor Cuomo in 2016. The wages at JFK and LaGuardia airports would rise to $13.60 on November 1, 2018. New York’s minimum wage goes to $15 on January 1, 2019. Thereafter, the minimum wage of all airport workers would increase in parallel to $15.60 on September 1, 2019 to $16.20 in 2020, to $17 in 2021, to $18 in 2022 and to $19 in 2023.

As part of its analysis, the Port Authority found that more than 30 percent of privately employed workers at Port Authority airports turn over every year, with the turnover rate having increased by 50 percent since 2010. Other airports, meanwhile, report turnover rates as low as 6 percent. The high level of turnover at Port Authority airports limits the ability of airport workers to play a critical security role at the airports.

In adopting the wage policy, the Port Authority anticipates that its actions will help reduce employee turnover while increasing workers’ job performance and creating a more stable workforce that will allow for an enhanced focus on safety and security. The agency believes that more experienced workers will be more knowledgeable about security processes and be better able to respond to emergencies at the region’s major airports. A detailed examination of the connection between workforce turnover and airport security at major airports is presented in the “Analysis and Justification” memo and is available here.

The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey (PANYNJ)
Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
Metropolitan Airport News
  • Website
  • Facebook
  • X (Twitter)
  • LinkedIn

Produced by a team of aviation professionals and enthusiasts, our mission is to inform and update the more than 68,000 employees who work on the metropolitan New York airport properties, as well as the many others that provide goods and services in the surrounding communities.

RELATED NEWS & UPDATES

PANYNJ Unveils New Construction Facility at JFK Airport

PANYNJ Unveils New Construction Facility at JFK Airport

September 29, 2023
ISS Reaches Major Sustainability Milestone Reducing Global Food Waste by 30%

ISS Reaches Major Sustainability Milestone Reducing Global Food Waste by 30%

September 27, 2023
The TWA Flight Center Diorama

The TWA Flight Center

September 9, 2023
A uniquely open-air space, the EWR Terminal A Club features several acoustic systems designed to absorb the outside sounds of the airport so guests can enjoy a relaxing setting.

Delta Sky Club’s New Location On Newark’s Terminal A Reflects City’s Industrial Past

August 25, 2023
Sabine Hornig, LaGuardia Vistas, 2020,

LaGuardia Airport Terminal B Earns Earns Gold RHF Accessibility Certification

August 10, 2023
Westchester County Airport (HPN)

Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Over $27 Million In Federal Funding for New York Airports

July 28, 2023
Add A Comment

Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

AIRPORT & AVIATION EVENTS
Civil Air Patrol Falcon Squadron Meeting
October 09, 2023
7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
  • John F. Kennedy International Airport-(JFK)
Jamaica, New York
LAAMCO Monthly General Meeting
October 10, 2023
9:00 AM to 10:00 AM
  • LaGuardia Airport-(LGA)
East Elmhurst, New York
ADDAPT Dinner Group
October 10, 2023
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
The Heritage Club
Farmgindale, New York
  • >> More Airport & Aviation Events

Subscribe for Weekly Email Updates

Get the latest local airport news, events, and jobs delivered right into your inbox each week.

Metropolitan Airport News provides timely news, information and updates for both Port Authority of New York & New Jersey (PANYNJ) employees and businesses that provide services at, and around the major New York airports (JFK, LGA, EWR).

John F. Kennedy International Airport
PO Box 300877
Jamaica, NY 11430 USA
Phone: (347) 396-0904
Email Us

Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube LinkedIn Flickr
SEPTEMBER 2023 ISSUE
Metropolitan Airport News - September 2023
LATEST COMMENTS
  • Robert Waldvogel on Long Island MacArthur: New York’s Secondary Airport
  • USN Veteran on Long Island MacArthur: New York’s Secondary Airport
  • Stephen Adams on The Ultimate Airline Employee Incentive
  • Jeff Landgrebe on The Ultimate Airline Employee Incentive
  • About Us
  • Advertising Options
  • Charitable Giving Program
  • Back Issue Archive
  • Contact Us
© 2023 Airport Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.