As 2020 brought heartache and pain for many, Governor Andrew Cuomo delivered a gift on the last day of the year for thousands of people when he signed the Healthy Terminals Act into law.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Alessandara Biaggi, will allow thousands of essential airport workers at John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia International Airport access to a supplemental wage benefits to acquire healthcare.
The law is dedicated to Leland Jordan, a baggage handler at John F. Kennedy Airport, who was one of the first airport workers to die from COVID-19.
“This is a victory for all New Yorkers as we take an integral step to protect some of our most vulnerable “workers in the wake of the global pandemic,” Biaggi said. Long before COVID, mostly Black, Brown and immigrant airport workers have served this State on the frontlines without access to the healthcare they need to keep themselves and their families safe. With the signing of my bill to enact the Healthy Terminals Act, these essential workers will finally have access to affordable healthcare coverage.”
She thanked the working families, 32BJ SEIU and Assemblywoman Alicia Hyndman for their support.
VICTORY! Thank you @NYGovCuomo for signing the #HealthyTerminalsAct into law, a landmark bill which will provide access to quality, affordable healthcare for the frontline essential airport workers who secure terminals, sanitize planes and keep passengers safe. pic.twitter.com/vchOIACIKv
— 32BJ SEIU (@32BJSEIU) January 1, 2021
