Protesters Bash Amazon’s Plan To Bring Mega-Hub To Newark Airport

NEWARK, NJ — Christian Rodriguez doesn’t pull punches about his time working at Amazon and how he feels about its founder, Jeff Bezos.

“When I worked at Amazon, I was monitored like a robot and overworked to increase the profits of the richest man in the world,” the lifelong Newark resident says.

Rodriguez is among a group of warehouse workers, environmental advocates, labor groups and small business owners who are pushing back on plans for a new Amazon air cargo “mega-hub” coming to Newark Liberty International Airport.

Speaking at a news conference in Weequahic Park – with airplanes roaring overhead – protesters demanded a “seat at the negotiating table” and said they’re worried about possible pollution and negative impacts to the local economy (watch the video below).

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which runs the airport, first announced their plans to launch a 20-year-lease with Amazon Global Air in August. Terms of the agreement include:

“Amazon is expected to transform two existing structures, Buildings 339 and 340, into a new state-of-the-art air cargo campus with a targeted investment of $125 million for renovation. No Port Authority capital funding will be required in support of this transaction. The lease, which remains subject to final negotiation and is expected to take effect later this year, will provide the Port Authority a lump sum upfront payment of $150 million and another $157 million in additional rent over the life of the 20-year agreement, which covers about 250,000 square feet of cargo space on 23 acres at Newark Liberty.”

The deal was praised by several officials, including Gov. Phil Murphy, who said it’s expected to lead to the creation of more than 1,000 jobs and provide “significant opportunities” for minority- and women-owned business enterprises.

Officials also said the facility will bring some much-needed revenue to the Port Authority, while boosting an international supply chain that has seen constant disruptions amid the pandemic. As customers and vendors continue to turn to online outlets for commerce and goods, Newark has become a regional hub for small packages. Overall, air cargo supports 22,000 jobs, $4 billion in sales and $1.5 billion in overall wages throughout the Newark region, Port Authority officials said.

"As a company we’re always looking to invest in communities and recruit talented people to join our team," an Amazon spokesperson told Patch on Thursday. "While the lease at the Newark International Airport remains subject to final negotiation, I can say we're proud of the investments we've made so far in New Jersey and look forward to continued engagement in the state."

• See related article: Newark Airport, Amazon Move Forward With Major Deal In NJ
• See related article: Amazon To Start Pay Increases At New Jersey Warehouse Sites

But despite the lofty promises, there are serious concerns about the new cargo hub and what it will bring to the region, activists say.

Some protesters– including several small business owners in Newark – claimed the new mega-hub at Newark Airport may do more harm than good to the local economy, alleging that Amazon facilities have been found to “depress wages and safety standards in surrounding regions.”

Others said they worry about the environmental impacts to their neighborhoods, including an increase of air and road traffic – and ensuing pollution.

“In Elizabeth, as a city with a port and an airport, we already have a lot of pollution and too many trucks on our roads,” said Anny Gonzalez, a member of Make the Road NJ.

“As a mother, I'm concerned that the Amazon airport hub expansion will just increase pollution of the air our kids breathe,” Gonzalez said.

Malika McCall, a South Ward resident and minority business owner, said her community is already being impacted by diesel trucks “contaminating the air and destroying local roads.”

“In addition, the air traffic and air pollution from the number of planes shaking our homes and businesses is already bad,” McCall said. “With Amazon at the airport and ignorant to our concerns, the aforementioned conditions are certain to become worse.”

Mahamadi Sakande, a Newark resident and father of five, also worries about the possible effects of the new air cargo hub.

“As a proud Teamster member in the grocery industry, I’ve heard about Amazon’s high injury rates and exploitative working conditions and I see firsthand how Amazon’s dominance is replacing local stores,” Sakande said. “This isn’t just about the present, this is about the type of future we’re building for our children.”

Some said the new jobs will come with “steep safety risks,” a claim that a coalition of labor activists also made in 2018. Those advocates had pointed to the tragic death of 57-year old Roland Smith, who was dragged and crushed by a conveyor belt at an Amazon warehouse in Avenel in 2013, as an example of what can go wrong on the job.

"Warehouse workers perform at breakneck speed under grueling, exploitative and often unsafe conditions that have resulted in injury and, in some cases, death," Warehouse Workers Stand Up alleged in their report.

Amazon spokespeople have lambasted the accusations as being riddled with inaccuracies, and have claimed that the safety and economic well-being of the company's associates is its “number one priority.”

• See related article: NJ Warehouse Workers Say Amazon Jobs Are 'Unsafe, Grueling'

Another common theme uniting the protesters were their claims that the Port Authority and Amazon are shutting them out of the decision-making process.

“Too often, people of color and low-income communities have been excluded, whether intentionally or unintentionally, from the decision-making process – even when these decisions affect their health and quality of life,” said Wynnie-Fred Victor Hinds, co-chair of the City of Newark Environmental Commission.

“We demand a seat at the negotiation table,” agreed Terrance Bankston, president of Parent University New Jersey and an environmental justice advocate.

“When it comes to the South Ward of Newark, we demand that the Port Authority and Amazon be helpful versus hurtful to our community,” Bankston added.

Other comments on the proposed Amazon hub at Newark Airport included:

• Oscar James II, former South Ward councilmember/local business owner – “When it comes to opportunities offered to the Newark community, we should not have to sacrifice our public or mental health for jobs and or a decent hourly wage.”
• Asada Rashidi, environmental justice organizer with the South Ward Environmental Alliance – “The South Ward neighborhood is disproportionately burdened with cumulative impacts of pollution impacting the health and quality of life of our residents. We demand that Amazon and the Port Authority stand with our community in solidarity. Good jobs and clean air now.”
• Amy Goldsmith, New Jersey state director at Clean Water Action – “Port operations and goods movement is not good for everyone. Dirty diesel trucks and equipment make people sick and take our breath away in some cases forever. Amazon has the resources to run 100% electric trucks, power with renewables and keep workers safe and properly cared for. If Amazon can deliver packages every day, it can deliver clean air and good safe jobs too.”

Some online commenters questioned protesters' claims that the deal is bad for Newark.

"Seems like kind of a stretch, the buildings Amazon is using are pretty separated from residential parts of Newark," one person tweeted. "And $19+ hour jobs are probably a good thing."

But others supported the protesters on social media.

Wednesday’s protest is just the latest chapter in the Brick City's ongoing relationship with Amazon.

Newark was one of the finalist cities in the frenzied attempt to land Amazon's new headquarters in 2018. In an attempt to land the coveted headquarters – and the jobs that it would bring – New Jersey and Newark officials offered Amazon a staggering $7 billion in combined state and city tax breaks, drawing both support and criticism along the way.

The Brick City ultimately lost out to the New York City neighborhood of Long Island City and Arlington, Virginia.

• See related article: Amazon Officially Passes Up Newark For New Headquarters
• See related article: Amazon Nixes NYC Headquarters, But What About Newark?
• See related article: Race To The Bottom: NJ's Quest For Amazon HQ Is 'Insane,' Critics Say

But the retail giant continues to build its footprint in Newark.

In 2020, Amazon opened a new delivery station at 429 Delancy Street. The new facility was expected to create more than 100 full and part-time associate jobs, in addition to "hundreds" of driver opportunities for Amazon's Delivery Service Partners and Amazon Flex drivers, the company said.

• See related article: Amazon Facility Will Deliver 100 Jobs To Newark, Company Says

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