PHILADELPHIA, PA, September 17, 2021—Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney signed into law Bill #210421A, legislation sponsored by Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson (2nd District), that will ensure frontline workers at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL Airport) not only receive family-sustaining wages, but also affordable healthcare and paid sick leave.
Bill # 210421A, now known as The PHL Prevailing Wage Law, provides a specific classification of PHL workers to receive up to $15.06 per hour, an additional $4.54 hourly wage supplement to obtain health insurance, and up to 56 hours of paid sick leave annually among other benefits. Virtually all frontline workers at PHL Airport are currently uninsured, while virtually all frontline workers elsewhere throughout Philadelphia that are covered by prevailing wage standards do have health coverage.
Council overwhelmingly approved the bill on June 24, and Mayor Kenney announced his support of the new law in a letter read during the September 17 City Council session, the first Council session of the fall.
“I want to thank all Mayor Jim Kenney’s administration for their support of this legislation, Mayor Kenney for signing the bill into law, and all of my Council colleagues for voting yes on this bill,” said Johnson, whose Council district includes PHL Airport. “I have said from the introduction of this legislation that I stand in support of the workers at Philadelphia International Airport. The new PHL Prevailing Wage Law will not only make sure that the workers make a living wage but will assure they have meaningful access to health benefits. The Airport is one of the biggest and most profitable airports in the country, and the workers—many of whom make less than $30,000 a year in salary–shouldn’t have to worry that they could be bankrupted at any time by an illness or injury.”
The new law covers baggage and freight handlers and inspectors, cabin cleaners, passenger service agents, skycaps, wheelchair attendants, retail, food, and beverage service workers, food preparation workers, and other airport service workers employed by an airline operating under a lease with the City of Philadelphia, or by a contractor for such an airline. The City of Philadelphia owns the PHL Airport, and airlines and other private businesses there operate under lease agreements with the City.
After hearing from small business owners at the Airport and concerns from the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association, Councilmember Johnson amended the bill before final passage. The PHL Prevailing Wage Law now goes into effect, except for restaurant and retail workers. It will delay the wage standard until January 2022 and the health standard until July 2023. Now that the bill is law, it will only apply to new leases, not existing leases, further staggering implementation.
In recognition of the increased costs imposed by the bill, City Council also approved on June 24 Councilmember Johnson’s Bill #210505, also dubbed as the MarketPlace bill. MarketPlace PHL is the private partner with the City of Philadelphia in the redevelopment of the award-winning PHL Food and Shops program within the PHL Airport. Mayor Kenney also announced he signed Bill#210505 into law.
The new MarketPlace law authorizes continued financial relief to MarketPlace under its current lease at the PHL Airport, using federal relief funds provided directly to the Airport. Johnson is committed to working with PHL Airport leadership to do an in-depth study of the economic impacts of the new prevailing wage requirements on small businesses and to explore other possible relief measures for airport businesses.
The PHL Prevailing Wage legislation is supported by 32BJ SEIU and UNITE HERE, which represent thousands of union workers at PHL Airport. The PHL Prevailing Wage bill covers all SEIU 32BJ and UNITE HERE workers. Other supportive testimony was provided by representatives of POWER Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association.
While Councilmember Johnson was the main sponsor of the PHL Prevailing Wage law, other co-sponsors included Council President Darrell Clarke and Councilmembers Mark Squilla, Jamie Gauthier, Curtis Jones, Jr., Bobby Henon, Maria Quiñones Sánchez, Cindy Bass, Cherelle Parker, Kendra Brooks, Katherine Gilmore Richardson, Helen Gym and Isaiah Thomas.
