Senator James Skoufis joined Assemblyman Jonathan Jacobson at Stewart International Airport on March 28 to advocate for the inclusion of Stewart’s workers to the Healthy Terminals Act, legislation advanced in both the Senate and Assembly’s 2025 proposed budget. When the Healthy Terminals Act was passed and signed in 2020, Stewart Airport was inexplicably removed from the legislation during the amendment process by then-Governor Cuomo. The Healthy Terminals Act establishes a specific standard for wage rates for covered airport workers at covered airport locations.

“I have been pushing for Stewart International Airport’s inclusion into the Healthy Terminals Act for years,” Skoufis said. “My priority is always to fight for working New Yorkers, and ensuring Stewart Airport employees are as compensated as their counterparts at other New York airports is a no-brainer. Airport workers do vital work to ensure travel is comfortable, efficient, and, most of all, safe. These hardworking men and women are entitled to reasonable benefits and our continued support.”

“Workers at Stewart Airport should not be treated as second-class citizens,” Jacobson added. “The Port Authority owns John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia and Stewart Airport, but the workers at Stewart do not receive the same minimum wage and health benefit supplement as workers at the other two airports. This bill would correct that, and would apply to cleaners and related services, baggage handlers, security workers, and food and catering workers for airlines and terminals. It’s a simple matter of fairness, equity, and common sense.”

Following the release of the Senate’s budget proposal on March 10, negotiations now begin in earnest with the Senate, Assembly, and Governor. A final, balanced budget is due in early April.