by Nate Jackson Underneath the mid-morning sun dozens of community members and gathered press listened as airport workers held a press conference about Sound Transit’s decision to block factual ads about poverty wage jobs at our airport.
Hosea Wilcox, a Sea-Tac Airport skycap, was one of the workers who spoke to the press outside of Sound Transit HQ near the International District Link Light Rail station.
"I've been working at this airport for 31 years," Wilcox said. "I’m ashamed that the public servants who run Sound Transit are trying to stop train riders from learning about our story. What are they afraid of?”
It’s not just Hosea. Thousands of workers at our airport face poverty wages and bad work conditions. Many of them are barely making it even while they work hard to take care of the traveling public. They work hard every day and all they want is a chance for the public to know their stories.
One community member moved by their plight has started a change.org petition that hundreds have already signed.
Also at the press conference were community organizations like Puget Sound Sage and One America also gave statements affirming their support of the workers. Maha Jahshan, an organizer from One America made a statement.
The ads were rejected and deemed “unacceptable.” What’s really unacceptable is the fact that there are thousands of poverty wage jobs at our airport.
We want every job at our airport to be a good job where people can afford to take care of their families as they take care of the hundreds of thousands of passengers and tourists who rely on their professionalism and expertise.