The City of SeaTac Washington, with a population of about 25,000, grew up around seatac airport which is entirely within city boundaries. The airport takes up nearly a third of the city’s 10 square miles. 35 million passengers a year pass through the airport, making it the 15th largest in the U.S.
In November 2013, Seatac became the U.S. City with the highest minimum wage, $15 an hour, as a result of a ballot initiative -- AN EFFORT spearheaded by airport workers and a coalition of labor and community groups. By Comparison, the minimum wage for San Francisco airport workers is $12.74 an hour and $12.66 an hour in the rest of the city. Workers at Oakland airport are covered by California’s minimum wage law which is $8 an hour now and goes up to $9 July 1. Activists in Oakland are CURRENTLY gathering signatures now to put a $15 minimum wage law on the November ballot.
Tom Herriman recently talked to several workers at SeaTac airport to find out how the new Seatac minimum wage law, which passed by 77 votes, came about and how it’s working out. (Photo: Hosea Wilcox, Seatc Airport baggage Handler.)
