A proposed ordinance that would set a minimum wage of $15 per hour and other employment conditions for some airport transportation and hospitality workers will be on SeaTac’s Nov. 5 general election ballot.
SeaTac council members placed the ordinance on the ballot Tuesday, July 9 after declining to adopt it without a vote by residents. Because a petition with sufficient signatures was filed with King County Elections, SeaTac council members were required to either adopt the ordinance outright or send it on to the ballot.
City Attorney Mary Mirante Bartolo and Councilmember Dave Bush emphasized that city officials did not generate the proposed ordinance. The ordinance was proposed and signatures gathered by a group called SeaTac Committee for Good Jobs.
A special “town hall” meeting will be held July 16, 5:30 p.m., at SeaTac City Hall to hear public comments about the proposed ordinance.
Mayor Tony Anderson suggested the town hall after Councilmember Rick Forschler proposed sending the measure to the Planning Commission for study. Deputy Mayor Mia Gregerson argued the commission is a citizens committee that advises the council. She noted council members had already made their decision on how to handle the proposed ordinance.
On July 23, the council will appoint three members each for two committees to write pro and con statements to appear in the voter’s pamphlet.
Public comments at the July 9 council study session and regular meeting were hostile toward the proposed ordinance.
Speakers said businesses would be forced to close or move to surrounding cities if voters approve the measure.
In a passionate plea, Cedarbrook Lodge general manager Scott Ostrander said he would have to lay off employees if the measure passes.
“I would be forced to do what I hate the most, which is take away a person’s livelihood,” Ostander said. “The ones that this ordinance claims to help will be hurt the most.”
In later Highline Times interview with Working Washington spokesperson Sage Wilson, he said every time the minimum wage goes up, opponents argue businesses will close.
The evidence is that employment goes up and the economy improves when workers have more money to spend, according to Wilson.
He denied that airport-related businesses would leave SeaTac. Wilson added that there are few businesses that are more dependent on location than airport hotels, restaurants and parking lots.
Doris Cassan, who operates Dollar Development parking, objected to the city being given a role in examining private employers’ records.
“Is everything else so perfect in the city that now you can turn your focus to the operations of private enterprises?” Cassan asked.
Wilson said wages for the same jobs are higher in other west coast cities because city governments or port authorities got involved to make sure workers made a living wage.
SeaTac resident Vicki Lockwood, who said she and her father had been active in unions, said the proposed ordinance would benefit union officials, not workers.
She said non-union workers could not offer to work for less than $15 per hour but union officials could negotiate a collective bargaining agreement that does lower wages below the minimum.
Wilson said baggage handlers for SeaTac-based Alaska Airlines’ contractor make $10 per hour at Sea-Tac but $14-$15 per hour at the Los Angeles airport.
He said Alaska is expanding its operations in Los Angeles despite the higher labor costs.
“These scare stories have not been born out,” Wilson said.
Alaska held a motivational rally July 10, featuring Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, for 1.200 low-income high-school students. Several Alaska employees detailed their rise from lower-paid jobs at Alaska to higher-paid positions. Alaska CEO Brad Tilden told the youth there are many good jobs at Alaska.
Asked after the rally about the minimum wage initiative, he said the rally was not the proper place to discuss it.
At the July 9 council meeting, Forschler pressed city attorney Bartolo about the fiscal impact to the city. She said the fiscal impact could not be determined.
The initiative would set workforce standards for more than 6,000 low wage airport and hospitality workers in SeaTac, including paid sick leave, a wage of $15 an hour and opportunities for full-time employment.
The initiative would apply to airport related businesses with more than 25 workers, located in SeaTac. Covered would be airport or service industries such as airlines, hotels, car rental companies and airport restaurants. It exempts smaller retailers, hotels, and restaurants.
Many of the workers that would be covered now make the state’s minimum wage of $9.19 per hour.
Here is our previous coverage:
A proposed ordinance that would set a minimum wage of $15 per hour and other employment conditions for some airport transportation and hospitality workers will be on SeaTac’s Nov. 5 general election ballot.
SeaTac council members placed the ordinance on the ballot Tuesday, July 9 after declining to adopt it without an election vote. Because a petition with sufficient signatures was filed with King County Elections, SeaTac council members were required to either adopt the ordinance outright or send it on to the ballot.
City Attorney Mary Mirante Bartolo and Councilmember Dave Bush emphasized that city officials did not generate the proposed ordinance. The ordinance was proposed and signatures gathered by a group called SeaTac Committee for Good Jobs.
A special “town hall” meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 16 at SeaTac City Hall, 4800 S. 188th St. to hear public comments about the proposed ordinance.
Public comments at the July 9 council study session and regular meeting were very hostile toward the proposed ordinance.
Speakers said businesses would be forced to close or move out of SeaTac if voters approve the measure.
In a passionate plea, Cedarbrook Lodge general manager Scott Ostrander said he would have to lay off some low-wage employees if the ordinance is enacted.
“The ones that this ordinance claims to help will be hurt the most,’ Ostrander declared.
Bartolo said the fiscal impact to the city could not be determined.
