#respectnj

Dear United Continental Holdings: We write to urge you to work with your subcontractors at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)—our employers--to implement the raise and benefit standards recently called for by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ). We provide cabin cleaning, security, wheelchair and skycap services for United Airlines at EWR yet many of us struggle to pay our bills and raise our families on the poverty wages United subcontractors, like PrimeFlight, AirServ and Gateway Group One, pay us. In April 2014, the PANYNJ passed a resolution calling on the major carriers operating at John F. Kennedy International (JFK), LaGuardia (LGA), and Newark Liberty International Airports to give an immediate one dollar raise to all subcontracted workers making less than $9 an hour and to make Martin Luther King Day 2014 a paid holiday. Delta and American Airlines agreed to comply with the Port directive and hundreds of workers at JFK and LGA have received raises but thousands more have been left behind, including approximately 4,000 subcontracted workers at Newark Liberty International Airport, the vast majority of whom work hard everyday keeping United Airlines’ operations running safely and efficiently. We work just as hard as other subcontracted airport workers and deserve a dignified wage with benefits that shows respect for the work we do for your company.

Sincerely, Irwin Carbajal América Hernández Zayid Muhammad

Zayid Muhammad Skycap, Gateway ($2.13 per hour plus tips)

“I would be able to pay my bills.”

Zayid Muhammad has been a skycap for Gateway, the largest United subcontractor at Newark Liberty International Airport, since January 2006. Zayid is very proud of the work he does but struggles to pay his rent and raise his 10-year old daughter as a single parent on the low wages Gateway pays him. Because his employer does not provide him with affordable healthcare, he relies on charity care to treat his medical needs. Zayid dreams of how his life would improve if he got a decent wage and benefits.

    América Hernández Cabin Cleaner, PrimeFlight ($8.25 per hour)

“My family and I receive health assistance and food stamps to get by, otherwise it would be a real hardship.”

América Hernández, currently employed as a cabin cleaner for PrimeFlight, has worked at Newark Liberty International Airport for seven years. Making the state minimum wage of $8.25 an hour and with no meaningful benefits, América and her family struggle to make ends meet every month. With three kids, América is thankful for Medicaid and food stamps, because she does not know what they would do without them.

    Irwin Carbajal Cabin Cleaner, PrimeFlight ($8.25 per hour)

“I would like to make more money so I can help my family in Peru and be able, at some point, to resume my studies. We work very hard and we deserve more.”

United Airlines and Its Contractors are Fostering Poverty in Newark

For the past several years, United has maintained a low-bid contracting system that has created thousands of poverty jobs at Newark Liberty International Airport.  About 3,700 men and women work for airline subcontractors at EWR, most of them for United subcontractors.

These workers generally are paid close to minimum wage and have no meaningful benefits, like paid time or affordable health insurance. 

American and Delta have agreed to the Port Authority’s new rules to give the lowest paid subcontracted workers in New York a $1 raise and make MLK Jr. Day a paid holiday.  But United has so far refused, leaving thousands of workers in Newark behind. 

We Have Helped United Grow Into a Big Part of Our Economy

Newark is United’s second largest hub in the world.   With 24.6 million passengers in 2013, United controlled over 70% of passenger traffic at EWR.  United also ranked first for total combined passengers amongst all airlines operating at the three largest NY and NJ airports.

United reported $1.084 billion in overall profit in 2013, excluding special charges, on revenues of $38.3 billion.  The profits (excluding special charges) were an 84 percent improvement from the previous year. 

United’s footprint in Newark is massive.  Besides its over 5,000 badged employees at the airport, and with a majority of the about 3,700 badged employees of subcontractors servicing United, it claims that it has 13,000 jobs in Newark, making it one of the largest employers in the state. 

The Port Authority of NY and NJ has invested over $4.2 billion at EWR, and is planning to invest $2.2 billion more in the next 20 years.

Since 1998, the NJ Economic Development Authority has issued at least $978.5 million in tax-exempt bonds for Continental and United to design and build facilities and equipment at EWR.

United has received two Business Incentive Employment Program grants from the state of New Jersey in 1997 and 2000, for an estimated total of $2.09 million.   

But our communities also need good jobs, and it is time for United to do its part

With minimum wages of $8.25, and assuming a 40-hour workweek, the annual income of many airport workers is 28% lower than the federal poverty level for a family of four.

A large majority of the subcontracted airport workers live in the impoverished areas surrounding the airport, especially in Newark. 

According to 2012 U.S. Census figures, 28% of the population of Newark lives under poverty, and so do 38.9% of children in the city.  Using a more realistic measure of poverty, given the high costs of living in Newark, an estimated 53% of the population in Newark lives in poverty.

Minorities are bearing the brunt of the low standards: 94% of the subcontracted workers at EWR are minorities (60% African-American, 27% Latino, and 7% Asian/Pacific Islander).