Fort Lauderdale, FL-As the holiday travel rush fast approaches, airport workers will gather at FLL on Thursday to protest ReadyJet, a low-wage contractor employed by Jet Blue. Airport workers will gather on Thursday, November 20 at 12:30pm at Terminal 3 baggage claim and march to Jet Blue’s office, demanding that the airline “evict” ReadyJet from FLL.
While travelers gear up for the busy Thanksgiving rush, many of the men and women who clean their planes will have a tough time putting food on their table thanks to back wages unpaid by ReadyJet. With wages as low as $8.75, even Ready Jet workers not missing back wages will struggle this holiday season.
Earlier this month, airport workers called on ReadyJet to pay the $10,000 in wages owed to eight workers as a result of ReadyJet’s failure to immediately hire the employees of Jet Blue’s previous contractor at FLL as required by the County’s Worker Retention law. Since this action, no workers have received the back wages owed to them for their period of unemployment. In the meantime, workers say they cannot afford to wait any longer for wages they lost as some have been evicted and struggle to put food on the table.
WHAT: Protest: Airport Workers Give No Thanks to ReadyJet’s Low Wages
WHO: Airport workers
WHEN: Thursday, November 20 at 12:30pm
WHERE: Terminal 3 baggage claim
BACKGROUND: The Broward County Commission passed a worker retention policy in January, 2014. It guarantees a 45-day period of continued employment for workers when one airline contractor is replaced with another contractor. However, in July, Jet Blue changed its cabin cleaning contract from Superior Aircraft Services to Ready Jet who took months to hire the eight workers. Workers have filed a follow-up complaint that asks the Broward County Aviation Director to pay these workers the wages they would have earned if ReadyJet had complied with the policy.
Airport workers and supporters are urging the County Commission to use its powers as provided in the Terminal Services Permit and terminate ReadyJet’s permit to operate in the Fort Lauderdale Airport.