To Ed Bastian – Delta Air Lines CEO,

We, the workers of the JFK Delta One Lounge, are writing this letter to bring to your attention the injustices we are suffering through at the JFK Delta One Lounge.

In January 2026, we became aware that we are not being paid our health and welfare supplemental wages, or the prevailing wages for covered airport workers as designated by the New York State Commissioner of Labor under the New York Healthy Terminals Act, a law enacted in 2021. 

On February 2, 2026, workers first reached out via email to have the issue of unpaid wages and benefits resolved.

Since that day, a reign of terror has been unleashed on workers for daring to speak out, not only on the violations of the Healthy Terminals Act, but also on the rampant abuses and unfair labor practices happening at the JFK Delta One Lounge. 

The JFK Delta One Lounge opened in June of 2024. 

The dedicated workers of the JFK Delta One Lounge worked long, hard hours to successfully launch Delta Air Lines’ first Delta One Lounge. Our labor made it the award-winning, best U.S. airline lounge according to industry professionals for 2 consecutive years, leading to numerous industry accolades. 

Despite our labor, workers are not only being denied our earned wages and benefits under federal, New York State, and New York City law, but we are also facing retaliation and a hostile work environment at the JFK Delta One Lounge.

This has had a devastating impact on our lives and well-being.

List of Atrocities

Bathroom and Water Restrictions: Workers are receiving disciplinary action for taking bathroom breaks, for being on their phones while taking a bathroom break and denied access to water by lounge manager Manuel Pimentel and other lounge management.

Targeted Harassment: A worker reported being followed to the bathroom stall in Terminal 4’s men's restroom each time he took a bathroom break by lounge General Manager Jairo Rosa. This happened with such frequency that it became a topic of discussion among the janitorial staff cleaning the men's restroom. The worker eventually quit to escape Rosa's creepy behavior.

Unlawful Denial of Sick Leave: A sick worker was terminated after using all her paid sick leave and was not allowed to use her 32 hours of unpaid sick leave available under NYC law. Lounge management continues to stop workers from using their unpaid sick leave.

Family Emergency Penalties: One worker who is caring for her disabled child was not allowed to use her unpaid sick leave during an emergency involving her child. Forced to place a phone call during work hours to a government agency for help, she was later punished with disciplinary action by management.

Endangering Medical Health: An elderly janitor was stopped by management from taking her medication, leading to her hospitalization. Days later, she received disciplinary action from General Manager Jairo Rosa and manager Manuel Pimentel for trying to take her medication with food as directed by her doctor.

Withheld Supplemental Pay: Workers were not paid their health and welfare supplemental pay of $4.54 per hour for their occupations in 2024 or 2025.

Underpayment of Janitorial Staff: Janitorial staff are paid $21.25 to $22 per hour instead of the prevailing wage of $31.98 per hour required under law for their occupation.

Withheld Benefits: Janitorial staff are not being paid their $25,102 per year health and welfare supplemental wage required under law. Management is also withholding their pensions, their 10 paid sick days, and additional mandatory benefits.

Retaliation Against Workers: Workers who signed a petition demanding their stolen wages and benefits, or who have spoken out against unfair labor practices, have faced retaliation including:

• Being denied a previously promised promotion.

• Being given multiple unjustified write-ups leaving workers in danger of being fired.

• Being falsely accused of solicitation by lounge Assistant General Manager Anastasia Clarke. Leading to written disciplinary action being given by Clarke and Wellness Manager Melissa Colarusso for  posting the notice of NYC’s unpaid sick leave law off the clock and on workers' break room lockers, after HR refused to post the legally required notice at the worksite.

• Being placed under increased surveillance.

• Management deleting worker comments in the 7Shifts employee chat app regarding stolen wages and unfair labor practices, and subsequently deactivating the app to stop worker communication.

• Being forced to work in a different department or occupation.

• Blacklisting - After 2 workers quit due to the toxic work environment at the lounge, Regional Manager Kevin Prouve, made an announcement that any worker that quit without 2 weeks notice, would be blacklisted.

Denial of Paid Prenatal Leave: New York State law gives pregnant workers the right to 20 hours of paid prenatal leave for prenatal care or any medical care related to pregnancy.

• General Manager Rosa and HR Manager Joseph Broytman gave no notice of this law to a pregnant worker who worked all 9 months of her pregnancy, or any worker at the lounge. 

• To make matters worse, when the pregnant worker learned about the law toward the end of her third trimester and applied for paid prenatal leave, she was denied.

For the past 4 months workers have reached out to management to rectify these issues, with no success.

Guests often ask workers what it is like to work at the JFK Delta One Lounge and if we are treated well. We have smiled and lied to guests, telling them that it is good to work at the lounge in order to protect Delta Air Lines.

We will no longer lie to protect a corporation that won't protect the workers who made the JFK Delta One Lounge a success!

We, the Workers, Demand:

1. Full Back Pay: Immediate payout of our back pay for health and welfare supplemental wages for 2024, 2025, and 2026.

1. Prevailing Wages: Janitorial staff must immediately be paid their prevailing wage of $31.98 per hour.

1. Mandatory Benefits: Janitorial staff must receive their $25,102 per year health and welfare supplemental wage, their pension, and all other benefits required under the Healthy Terminals Act. 

1. Sick Leave Access: All workers must be granted access to their 32 hours of unpaid sick leave available under NYC law.

1. Legal Workplace Notices: The official notice of the NY State Paid Prenatal Leave Act must be posted and distributed to all employees immediately.

1. Prenatal Leave Approvals: All pregnant workers must receive their paid prenatal leave without barriers.

1. End to Retaliation: All forms of retaliation against workers engaging in protected concerted activity must stop immediately.

1. Rescinding of Disciplinary Actions: All unjustified disciplinary write-ups and actions must be completely rescinded.

1. Reinstatement of Staff: All wrongfully terminated employees must be reinstated to their positions immediately.

1. Fair Treatment: All JFK Delta One Lounge workers must be treated with basic fairness, dignity, and respect.

Delta Air Lines must put a stop to the illegal and criminal actions targeted at the workers of the JFK Delta One Lounge and live up to what they claim is Delta’s guiding philosophy:

"Integrity, Resilience, Care and Servant Leadership – every day, in everything we do."

Delta Air Lines, do the right thing.