Maria Alvarado was an aircraft cleaner for Airway Cleaners at Logan International Airport until she had to leave work because of illness. Because she didn't have a union, she didn't have health insurance. This left her with no work and an $8,000.00 medical bill.
Alvarado and other airport contract workers and community leaders briefed state legislators, legislative staff, and an audience of over a hundred, at the "Lift Off Forum" at the Massachusetts State House this week. Workers testified about what they call the "sweat shop" conditions created by passenger service subcontractors at Logan, and proposed policy solutions.
Gloribel Mota of Neighbors United for a Better East Boston and Yessenia Alfaro of Chelsea Collaborative testified, about the impact of livable wages for workers at the airport and the effect on their communities. Mirna Montano of MassCOSH and Bruce Callahan, Vice President of North Shore Labor Council, also spoke. The forum also featured testimony from the National Employment Law Project, a non-profit organization which analyzes employment policies of local, state and federal government authorities.
20 legislators and staff attended, including Senators Petruccelli and DiDomenico, Representatives Walsh, Forry, O' Day, Holmes, and aides for Speaker DeLeo, Representatives Malia, Basile, Kaufman, Fox, Story, Lewis, Coakley-Rivera, Sciortino, Reinstein, and Wolf, along with aides from Senators Chang-Diaz, McGee, Jehlen, and Wolf.
Approximately 18,000 people work at the airport, many of them for subcontractors of the airlines. Last Thursday, workers from Logan subcontractors testified at the Massachusetts Port Authority's Board meeting about unstable hours, struggling to get by on minimum or sub-minimum wage, and safety concerns.
"Underpaying airport workers cost Massachusetts taxpayers millions of dollars by burdening the state's public assistance programs such as subsidized housing and Commonwealth Care," stated a resolution sponsored by Boston City Councilors Arroyo and Murphy, and passed by the Council in December 2011. The Revere City Council passed a similar resolution on February 13.
Concluding the legislative forum, SEIU Local 615 President Rocio Saenz implored legislators to support a solution to the plight of airport workers. "We are here today to ask legislators to add your voice to those of workers and the community. Massport has the legal authority to create rules to ensure that contractors operate responsibly, and we are calling on the Authority to take action."'
