Lufthansa lands Nassau IDA tax breaks for HQ move to Uniondale

Nassau County’s Industrial Development Agency approved German aviation giant Lufthansa’s bid to get tax aid for moving its Americas headquarters from East Meadow to Uniondale, according to Newsday. The Lufthansa bid was opposed by members of Local 100 of the Unite Here union, which has been negotiating with the airline’s subsidiary, LSG Sky Chefs. Union members have claimed they are not getting proper benefits. “I don’t think it’s fair for them to get a break, but we’re not getting anything,” Carol Walters, a Sky Chefs food preparer, told the IDA board in a recent hearing. IDA board members, while reportedly moved by the workers’ testimony, allowed the tax breaks to go through. Lufthansa got a sales-tax exemption of up to $248,000 on the purchase of construction materials, equipment and fixtures for the $5.7 million office being built for its across from the renovated Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The IDA board did also insert itself into Lufthansa’s contract negotiations, asking the airline to engage in more constructive talks with its union workers. [Newsday]