Gov. Kathy Hochul visited LaGuardia Airport Thursday afternoon to celebrate enhancements of the Healthy Terminals Act, which provides improved health care and leave benefits for workers at John F. Kennedy (JFK) International and LaGuardia airports.
Hochul gathered with airport workers and leaders from service workers unions SEIU 32BJ and UNITE HERE! to celebrate the expansion of the act, signed into law by Hochul in May after initially being approved in the long-overdue 2025-26 state budget.
The state budget included expansions to the existing New York Healthy Terminals Act, which was first introduced in 2021 and established wage standards at airports across New York as well as providing coverage for full-time workers.
The expansion introduced in the state budget included measures to provide coverage to an additional 15,000 workers not covered under the original act, including ramp, cargo, concessionaire, retail and part-time workers.
The expansion also includes two to five weeks of paid vacation for airport workers depending on seniority as well as securing an additional 10 paid holidays every year, 32BJ SEIU says.
Currently, employers are required to provide only seven days of state-mandated paid sick leave, while there is no mandated vacation time. Additionally, employers are currently only mandated to provide one paid holiday every year.
The budget does not guarantee a specific number of paid vacation days or holidays, but 32BJ SEIU pointed to language in the budget that ties annual paid leave to the Contract Services Act, a federal standard which typically sets paid leave at between two and five weeks depending on seniority. It also provides 11 paid federal holidays every year.
Speaking at LaGuardia on Thursday morning, Hochul said the expansions to the act would make a huge difference to airport workers across the state.
“New York’s airports are our gateway to the world, and each year over 90 million passengers travel through JFK and LaGuardia. None of this is possible without the incredible efforts of hardworking airport employees who keep travelers moving,” Hochul said in a statement.
“These workers deserve to earn a living wage with good benefits and live with dignity in a state that is affordable. By expanding the Healthy Terminals Act, we are making sure they get exactly that.”
Manny Pastreich, president of SEIU 32BJ, said the expansions to the Healthy Terminals Act are a testament to union power, adding that the amendments will help “change thousands of lives.”
“From the wheelchair attendants who carefully escort our loved ones through a long day of travel, to the baggage handlers who lift and guide the luggage of thousands of travelers every day, New York relies on airport workers,” Pastreich said.
“For years, these essential workers have been organizing and fighting for their rights. This victory – strengthening the Healthy Terminals Act – is a testament to the union power they have built. It will change thousands of lives and help ensure the health and safety of our state’s airports.”
Jose Maldonado, president of UNITE HERE! Local 100, said expansions to the Healthy Terminals Act allow airport workers to “feel seen and feel heard.”
“They deserve fair wages, real health benefits, and the time to care for themselves and their families. Amending the Healthy Terminals Act is about lifting up the airport workers who keep New York moving,” Maldonado said.
Cristiana Mendez, a cleaner at LaGuardia, said she had been fighting for improved work conditions for over a decade and described the amendments to the Healthy Terminals Act as a “major victory.”
“Finally, we can enjoy the same services that we provide every day. Everyone needs time to travel, spend time with their families, and rest. For me, it’ll make it easier to see my mom in Puerto Rico. That means the world to me,” Mendez said.
A number of elected officials also welcomed expansions to the Healthy Terminals Act.
New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said the expansion will ensure that more airport workers have the resources they need to provide for their families.
“With looming federal cuts, increased travel congestion and reduced staffing, our airport employees need this additional support now more than ever,” Heastie said in a statement.
Meanwhile, State Sen. Jessica Ramos said the expansion delivers fair wages, vacation time, and long-denied protections to the essential workers who power the city’s airports.
“By extending these rights to part-time workers, the Act closes a critical gap in labor protections and raises the standard for all,” Ramos said.
