700 Newark Airport Workers Keep Jobs After Getting WARN Notice

NEWARK, NJ — It’s a scary experience to get a WARN notice with your employer’s name on it. But in a positive turn of events, hundreds of workers at Newark Airport will get to keep their jobs after receiving termination notices earlier this month, according to their union.

On Thursday, officials with 32BJ SEIU announced that more than 700 workers who clean and service United Airlines planes in Newark will be rehired when the company switches contractors this autumn.

The workers – who were employed with PrimeFlight Aviation Services Inc. and are members of 32BJ – perform several jobs at Newark Airport for United, including cabin cleaning, lift truck driving and lavatory cleaning.

When United decided to end its contract with PrimeFlight, it placed the jobs of these workers in jeopardy, as evidenced by the WARN notice they received last month. That notice stated 735 employees with PrimeFlight in Newark were due to be terminated on Oct. 8.

But since United’s new contractor, Prospect Airport Services, also uses employees represented by 32BJ SEIU, the workers who almost lost their jobs will get to sign on with Prospect, keeping food on their tables.

According to union representatives, the airport workers’ hard-won fight to unionize in 2016 is a big reason they’re still employed.

That year, the newly unionized workers alleged that PrimeFlight “intimidated” them when they attempted to organize and strike. PrimeFlight later agreed to a settlement, including financial compensation for some of the affected workers.

• See related article: Newark Airport Contractor Settles Dispute With 'Intimidated' Workers

“If the workers had not had a collective bargaining agreement that entitles them to keeping their union in situations like these, they very well could have lost their jobs,” 32BJ Vice President and NJ District Director Kevin Brown, told Patch.

“32BJ represents the majority of contracted service workers at [Newark Airport], and with majority we are able to impact industry-wide standards like these,” Brown said.

• See related article: Fight For Living Wage Continues At Newark Airport

Now, the workers at Newark Airport will get the chance to continue their march alongside their peers towards the nation’s highest minimum wage, which is due to give them an extra $3 raise per hour in about a month, Brown pointed out.

• See related article: Climb To Nation's Highest Minimum Wage Begins At NJ, NY Airports

United Airlines was more conservative about the union’s role in their recent decision.

“The previous contracts were up for renewal and PrimeFlight opted to terminate their contract, which factored into this decision as well,” Robert Einhorn, a spokesperson for United said Thursday.

According to Einhorn, Prospect secured the work as part of a normal, competitive bid.

“Per the CBA that Prospect has with SEIU, they will hire all of PrimeFlight’s employees,” Einhorn told Patch. “We value our relationship with our union-represented employees and partners, as well as their union representatives.”

Einhorn said Prospect has “a proven track record” as an outstanding service provider.

“We look forward to welcoming them to our Newark operation later this year,” he said.

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