FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 23, 2026

As Newark Airport Faces Summer, World Cup Travel Surge, United Contractor Transition Creating Staffing Shortages and Operational Concerns

Workers and management report growing staffing shortages for contractor servicing United planes

NEWARK, NJ — As Newark Liberty International Airport faces one of the busiest travel periods of the year and serves as a key gateway for visitors traveling to World Cup matches in the region, workers and labor advocates are raising concerns that United Airlines’ planned July 1 contractor transition is already creating staffing shortages and operational challenges at the airport.

UGE is currently recruiting both part-time and full-time employees and has been conducting four-day orientation and training sessions from Tuesday through Friday, with participants beginning work the following Saturday. According to workers and OmniServ management, many current OmniServ employees have been attending these training sessions during their regularly scheduled work hours, leading to staffing shortages throughout the operation.

As a result, employees have reportedly been calling out from scheduled shifts to attend UGE orientation sessions, leaving OmniServ struggling to maintain staffing levels. According to OmniServ management, United managers have expressed concerns and frustration regarding the staffing situation and recently sought additional staffing support due to the shortage of available workers.

The transition comes less than one month after workers and elected officials warned that United's contractor change could jeopardize stable full-time jobs, healthcare coverage, workplace protections, and other benefits relied upon by hundreds of airport workers and their families.

"At a time when Newark Airport is handling one of the busiest travel periods of the year and serving as a gateway for visitors traveling to World Cup matches in our region, the last thing United should be doing is creating uncertainty for workers and staffing shortages in airport operations," said Ana Maria Hill, Vice President and New Jersey State Director of 32BJ SEIU. "If employees are already being pulled away from their current jobs to attend orientation sessions and managers are scrambling to find coverage, that raises serious questions about how this transition is being managed and what it could mean for workers and travelers alike."

Approximately 250 workers who service United Airlines at Newark Liberty International Airport could be impacted by the July 1 transition from OmniServ to United Ground Express. Workers have raised concerns that the change could result in the loss of stable full-time jobs, fully employer-paid healthcare, dental coverage, legal benefits, paid training, and workplace protections they fought years to secure.

In 2025, United moved approximately 600 workers to United Ground Express. What workers were told would be a smooth transition resulted in many employees experiencing reduced hours, increased healthcare costs, the loss of paid holidays, and diminished workplace protections.

"I help care for four grandchildren. After five years of service, I should not be standing here wondering whether I can afford to take care of my family," said airport worker Sabrina Reliford. "Workers are doing everything they can to protect their jobs and support their families, but this transition has created uncertainty for hundreds of workers."

"We built our lives around these jobs. We raised families. We planned for the future. And now many of us are being told we have to accept less," said airport worker Karlene Bradbury. "Less stability. Less protection. Less opportunity."

Workers and advocates are calling on United Airlines to ensure that all affected employees maintain access to full-time employment opportunities, affordable healthcare coverage, and workplace protections while guaranteeing a smooth transition that does not disrupt airport operations.

"United has a responsibility to its workers, passengers, and the traveling public," Hill added. "The company should not be creating operational challenges before the transition has even taken effect. Workers deserve stability, and travelers deserve confidence that airport operations will not be compromised."

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32BJ SEIU represents 15,000 building service workers in New Jersey, including 3,000 airport workers.