Massport Board Votes to Raise Minimum Wage for Contract Service Workers at Logan Airport
Committed to retaining workers, creating a more efficient and secure airport
BOSTON - The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) Board today voted a two-step increase to the minimum wage pay for certain airport service workers at Logan International Airport, continuing a policy first adopted in 2014. Today’s Board vote will increase the minimum wage rate for these service workers that serve airlines at Logan from the current rate of $15 an hour to $16.00 an hour effective July 1, 2022, and to $17 an hour effective January 1, 2023.
“As passenger volume at Logan continues to increase, the timing of this vote is even more important,” said Massport Board Member Sean O’Brien. “Every industry is looking to hire more staff, and it is essential businesses that serve our airlines retain and attract new employees. In addition to their day to day job functions, these workers are also valuable assets to maintaining the general safety of the airport with added eyes and ears.”
“Logan is one of the nation’s busiest airports and its workers provide invaluable assistance in order to get passengers where they need to be,” said Massport Board Member John Nucci. “Raising the minimum wage is a victory for these workers and one they very much deserve. This decision is not only a step in the right direction for the airport but for the community as a whole.”
The employees in today’s vote include wheelchair assistants, skycaps, ticket agents, janitorial staff, aircraft and cabin cleaning, and baggage handlers, among others. Increasing the minimum wage for these employees helps create a safer airport community for all. By keeping wages competitive, contract service operators are able to retain employees longer. In turn, those employees gain more experience at the airport, increase their knowledge of the proper reporting and emergency procedures, and are quicker to notice when something is out of the ordinary.
“This increase to the minimum wage pay for airport workers is an important moment for workers’ rights, especially immigrant workers’ rights,” said State Senator Lydia Edwards. “These workers should be respected, protected and paid the proper living wage they have worked so hard for. Thank you to Massport for standing with our workers and stepping up to make this wage increase a reality.”
“Airport workers - many of whom were on the frontlines during the height of the COVID pandemic – keep operations running smoothly, and they deserve to be paid a fair, liveable wage for the crucial work they do,” said State Representative Adrian Madaro. “I want to thank Massport for their collaboration, helping us make this possible.”
The Massport Board first voted on this issue in 2014 and it took effect in January 2015, which brought the minimum wage for those airline contracted employees to $10 an hour, $1 above the required state minimum wage. The Board voted and the rate rose again each year through 2020, maintaining Logan’s wages above the state minimum wage and among the highest in the country for airport service workers.
The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) owns and operates Boston Logan International Airport, public terminals in the Port of Boston, Hanscom Field and Worcester Regional Airport. For more information, please visit www.massport.com.
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