View in browser | documentedny.com Wednesday, December 21, 2022 Good morning! It’s just 3 days until Christmas — for those counting. What you need to know: Ahead of the holiday travel season, immigrant airport workers are in crisis Also: Dozens of migrants arrived in New York on Monday in dire need of help and had to be taken to emergency rooms — And more. Immigrant airport workers are facing grueling shifts and poor working conditions share As we kick off the holiday season this weekend, many people will be traveling, as usual. Will you be traveling? Some of us here at Documented will, while some of us will be bracing the colder days in New York. If taking a flight, the airport of course will be the launch pad to your destination. So, as you walk — from the check-in desks to the cafes and through the gates, and into the aircraft itself — notice how easy it is to get around. The floors, clean and white? Your checked-in bag making it to the departure gate by itself? Many of those who make these things happen are the key people in our latest labor story: immigrant airport workers. Despite all their hard work: last week, some airport workers told Documented’s Labor Reporter, Amir Khafagy, that they are experiencing grueling work conditions and low pay. About 100 workers employed by Swissport USA — a Swiss-owned contractor that handles hospital, cleaning, and cargo handling services — protested at Marina Air Terminal at LaGuardia Airport in Queens. Poor and unsafe work conditions: The workers told our reporter that the company routinely steals their wages, cuts their hours, and fails to provide them with sick days or paid time off. All of these things happen while most of them make only $19 an hour and lack benefits like health insurance. The poor and unsafe work conditions have led newer employees to quit, forcing others to take on more tasks. Take for instance Dave Budra, a worker from Guyana: In addition to his regular responsibilities as a baggage handler, he is now expected to clean the inside of the aircraft cabin too. He said he and several of his colleagues are pressured to come into work sick or they are denied paid sick days as a result of the staffing shortages. “We get blamed for delays, but we’re only given a few minutes to clean and don’t have enough people to do the work,” said Omar Rodriquez, another worker. “No one wants to stay because the pay and benefits are not enough for what we do.” This is not the first time the airport workers have fought back against management. Read Amir’s full report about the grueling conditions and low pay. |
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STORIES WE ARE FOLLOWING New York New York City officials brace for the potential end of Title 42: Feds to send NYC substantial share of $800 million in aid to assist migrants: Four buses of migrants from Texas border arrive in NY: Young Venezuelan man died by suicide last week following the similar death of a young woman in September: Rep. George Santos’ resumé questioned: Around the U.S. Labor shortages persist in the U.S., owing to shortage of non-college educated immigrants: Denial, detention and deportation threats — the imbalanced scales of immigration justice in the Gulf South: Indian tech workers in Silicon Valley protest immigration discrimination: Washington D.C. DHS accidentally informed Cuba that deportees had sought protections in the U.S.: Biden admin. asked Supreme Court to deny Republican-led bid to delay end of Title 42: Supreme Court Chief Justice temporarily pauses end of Title 42: Biden admin.'s new public charge rule goes into effect Friday: |
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CATCH UP ON DOCUMENTED EXCLUSIVES Advocates fear disarray in ICE check-in line could lead to missed immigration court dates: Contractors of expensive NY condos stole hundreds of immigrant workers' wages. Then, they declared bankruptcy. After construction worker falls to his death, advocates pressure Hochul: |
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BEFORE YOU GO Watch: A short clip of Venezuelan migrants at the border celebrating in support of Argentina as they watched the World Cup final What was your favorite piece from Documented in 2022? On Friday — in the final Early Arrival of the year — our staff will share what they thought their best Documented piece of 2022 was. Reply to this email to tell us your favorite and we’ll include it in the newsletter. Support New York's go-to source for immigration news Today's newsletter was edited by Kathryn Krawczyk. |