Albany, NY - February 21, 2014 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that American Airlines has agreed to terms requested by the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey to increase wages and work to provide holiday pay for its employees at JFK and LaGuardia airports in New York City.
“Today, we are pleased to announce that American Airlines has stepped up to do the right thing by agreeing to provide fairer compensation for these hardworking employees at JFK and LaGuardia airports,” Governor Cuomo said. “This year, we are making major investments to improve the state’s two busiest airports, and that will only be possible when the workers who keep them running every day are paid properly. On behalf of over a thousand workers who will benefit from this agreement, I commend American Airlines for taking this important action.”
Michael Minerva, American Airlines Vice President of Government and Airport Affairs, said, “American Airlines and American Eagle Airlines value our partnership with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and we appreciate the hard work and service employees provide our customers every day. By taking action to improve wages, we are bolstering our commitment to create world-class places to work.”
On January 27, Port Authority Executive Director Patrick Foye sent a letter to the CEOs of four major airlines – Delta, JetBlue, American and United airlines – that operate in JFK and LaGuardia airports requesting an immediate improved wage and benefits package for their employees. This request covers 8,000 workers at the two airports. Click here to read the letter.
The agreement reached with American Airlines fulfills all the requests outlined by Executive Director Foye. Under the terms of the agreement, American Airlines will work with its vendors in New York to raise the hourly wages by $1 for those contracted employees making $8 to $9 an hour, and will raise the wage to $10.10 an hour by early 2015 for all LGA and JFK employees. In addition, American Airlines will work to ensure workers receive Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a paid holiday and vendors provide retroactive pay for last month’s holiday.