Workers Ignite A Movement In 2013

Check out our Prezi Presentation of some of the best moments in the new workers' movement from 2013!

On The March - 13 miles for $15

Fast food workers and community allies went on the march for $15 from the victory in SeaTac all the way to Seattle City Hall - literally, 13+ miles. These are our stories. Mile 1: We start our march on the corner of 176th and International Blvd after a launch rally, more like a launch party in the SeaTac Hilton. Every news station is outside in a scrum snapping photos and video as we start our 13 mile epic march to Seattle for $15 an hour.

Mile 2: Media cameras go to live feeds with reporters having to shout into their microphones to be heard over chants and cheers of our crowd. We paused briefly and thanked an early supporter of the $15 movement in SeaTac, Olive Express. They are a small business that was out front backing the SeaTac Good Jobs Initiative from the get go.

We cheered. Then, as we passed the big fast food chains like McDonald’s and Burger King we let them know that we expect profitable corporations to pay better than poverty wages.

Mile 3: We stopped briefly at Abubakr Islamic Center in Tukwila, an important base of support for the $15 movement. There board member Abdi talks to the crowd with a few prepared remarks.

“Peace be upon you, we support you 100%. We will fight with you for better wages and justice for the low wage workers. We are in this together.”

Also, news crews snagged a few more interviews with workers including a Spanish language interview on Univision.

Mile 4: We stomped down International Boulevard picking up our pace. The next few miles were a little lacking in scenery, but our chants and music and tons of supportive honks and kept our spirits high.

Mile 5: We launched our “Ask Me Anything” on Reddit answering questions with chilled fingers making the typing difficult as we continued to march in sub freezing weather. Also, City Council Elect Kshama Sawant joins the march about this time (she ended up marching the rest of the way with us).

Mile 6: We crossed onto Boeing Access Road over I-5. As we turned onto MLK we had officially crossed into Seattle.

Mile 7: Dallas, a fast food worker while hoofing it up Martin Luther King Ave captured the spirit of the march so far. “It’s simple,” he said. “If you make enough noise someone is going to HAVE to listen. Let’s keep making noise!”

Mile 8: Even though the temperature continues to drop, we march on for $15: singing, chanting and if the music warrants it, dancing in the street as we make our way up Martin Luther King Blvd. Lots of folks came out of their homes and waved as we passed - like a parade. One guy even stood by with a sign that said, simply “Thank you.”

Mile 9: We stopped at Brighton Park for lunch...ahead of schedule! News media from KING 5 to Al Jazeera set up cameras there and got a few more interviews as we all rested our feet and warmed our hands. One of the most impressive things about the marchers was their endurance. There were senior citizens who kept the pace marching alongside the children of fast food workers who would run ahead and then circle back to their parents. We set off again after everyone had a bite to eat and spirits were high as we took the street over again on our way North.

Mile 10: After we turned from MLK to Rainer, we piled into a Wendy’s completely filling it in support of better pay for poverty-wage workers. The workers looked so happy we were there, giving us smiles and thumbs-up as we chanted and explained what our movement was all about. A few were even wearing Strike Poverty buttons in support!

“We are here in support of you Wendy’s workers!” We yelled. The managers ran into the back.

Mile 11: As we crept up on our 13 mile march goal we started talking about the day and what we thought was the next steps. Ethan, a fast food worker put it into perspective.

“We deserve to be paid living wages. We’re the ones who make these big corporations all this wealth, all these profits. We are going to fight until we get fairly compensated. This is just the beginning.”

Throughout the day cars and trucks honked in support and even a Sound Transit train engineer pulled down on the whistle as he passed us.

Mile 12: We marched down Jackson until we got to Hing Hay Park in the heart of the International District. We stopped there as more people joined the group swelling our numbers. Some folks weren’t able to take time off to march the whole day, so we had set up the park as a nice rendezvous point.

We had to hand out more signs as more folks showed up. Our picket signs which simply read “On the March, Strike Poverty” were not simple. They had a huge 15 cut out of the front that lit up. Yeah. Lit. Up.

Mile 13: As we marched up 4th Avenue the sun started to set. We cranked up the noise as commuters waiting for buses looked up from their cell phones and cheered us, waved or pumped their fists as we passed.

We arrived at Seattle City Hall and quickly filled up the lower staging area right next to the grand stairs. We set up a stage with two long vertical banners that had the same message as our pickets (now lit up) and heard from both fast food workers and elected officials.

We had done it. We had marched 13+ miles from SeaTac all the way to Seattle City Hall for $15 an hour. We could have walked another 13 miles we were so pumped up.

Some Seattle City Council-members not only showed their support throughout the day by tweeting about our march and the economic uplift $15 an hour would have on our communities, but they also brought out and served us hot coffee, tea and cider. After marching 13 miles in temperatures that never eclipsed 32 degrees, it was appreciated.

After City Council-member Mike O’Brien — a strong ally of the our movement since the first fast food strike — offered his support, wild applause greeted City Council-member Elect Kshama Sawant.

She waited for the crowd to quiet down and then got right to the heart of the matter.“We have the momentum,” she said. “We will seize this moment, but let us be honest. This will be hard. We will get to $15 an hour and workers will get the respect they deserve. Yes, this will be a hard fight – but we will win!”

We’re going to see to that.

But here’s what really put it all into relief.

Martina, a fast food worker, who couldn’t get the smile off of her face, waved to the cheering crowd.

“This $15/hr is going to be great for me,” she said. “This will change my life, but it will also be really good for everyone else too. We will all do better!”

Poverty Wage Workers March On Alaska Airlines

Behind a giant banner simply reading “UNION!” poverty-wage airport workers, faith leaders and community members marched down Pacific Avenue towards Alaska Airlines Global HQ. Reverend John Helmiere of Valley and Mountain United Methodist Church, wearing the white collar of his faith, glanced over at the over-sized letter informing the airline that these workers have formed a union, and then knocked on the locked glass doors.

Thousands of workers at Sea-Tac Airport are paid poverty wages. These are the cabin cleaners, ramp workers, fuelers, skycaps and wheelchair agents. They serve the customers of Alaska and other major airlines with dignity and respect–something unreturned by their employers.

Spencer a worker for Menzies, a poverty-wage contractor Alaska hires to handle its customers’ baggage, wiped his hands on his jeans, stood in front of the Alaska Airlines HQ sign and took the microphone from the TV reporter’s hand.

“We know our rights,” he said looking directly into the camera. “We want this union. We’ve all talked about it and it is really the best thing for ourselves and our families.”

We cheered as he paused searching for words.

“We like this work,” he said. “We love our jobs. It’s challenging, keeps us on our toes. But we know we deserve more than these poverty wages. We work hard to serve your passengers Alaska. You need to do right by us and push these companies to treat us with respect.”

Alaska Airlines and other major airlines in Sea-Tac farm out thousands of jobs to contractor companies in a mutual race to the bottom in regards to wages, benefits and basic workplace respect. There have been numerous calls for change and these contractor companies, hired and retained by Alaska Airlines, have refused to make the basic changes needed to ensure safety, fair wages and decent benefits.

Workers and community allies stopped by five contractor companies informing the bosses that they have formed a union for good jobs and fair wages before we headed to Alaska Airlines HQ.

We marched up and down Sea-Tac under the shadow of the control towers to confront Menzies and DGS. We weaved through a lifeless maze like office building to declare our intentions to GCA, up a hill to serve Bags and crossed an oddly elaborate cedar bridge to deliver our message to AirServ.

When we finally arrived at Alaska Airlines we huddled close to the locked doors at Alaska Airlines. After a few minutes of ringing bells, knocking and chanting a representative of the airline came out to talk with us.

Sylvan, another worker for a poverty-wage contractor, garbed in his work vest, held out the letter to the Alaska PR agent.

“We aren’t asking for much,” he said. “We just want to be treated fairly. You guys (Alaska) have the pull around here and you can push these companies to do right by us. We want to be paid fairly and have respect on the job. Do the right thing.”

The Alaska PR agent thanked us and took the letter before ducking back into the office.

Workers at our airport are standing up for themselves. They work hard and deserve the respect and dignity that they show Alaska Airlines’ customers. We’ll stand with them as they keep pushing for good jobs and fair wages.

“Every worker deserves respect,” said Father Helmiere into the TV news camera. “Alaska, you are a great homegrown company. You share our values of fairness and treating everyone with respect. Show us. Do right by all these workers who do right by your customers.”

Worker unrest continues at Sea-Tac Airport

Media Release for March 26, 2013, Contact:  Thea Levkovitz, Thea@workingwa.org 

Worker unrest continues at Sea-Tac Airport...

Poverty-wage airport workers to announce union and march on Alaska Airlines headquarters

1,000+ form unions for good jobs and living wages

(Tuesday, March 26) Sea-Tac Airport workers will announce today that more than 1,000 poverty-wage cabin cleaners, baggage handlers, wheelchair assistants, and skycaps have formed unions for good jobs and living wages. Almost all of these workers are paid less than $10 an hour by the multi-million-dollar airport contractors who employ them to provide essential services to Sea-Tac passengers.

After announcing their union, they will march to Alaska Airlines Headquarters to demand Alaska executives direct the contractors they hire to negotiate with the workers’ unions for good jobs and living wages.

WHO: Poverty-wage baggage handlers, wheelchair assistants, skycaps, and cabin cleaners, joined by faith leaders and other community supporters.

WHAT: Announce that 1000+ workers have joined unions for good jobs & living wages at multi-million dollar airport contractors Menzies, Bags, AirServ, and Delta Global  Services. Carrying banners & signs reading “UNION!”, they will then march to Alaska Air Group’s Headquarters and call on the company to direct the contractors they hire to negotiate with workers unions for good jobs and living wages.

WHEN: TODAY - Tuesday, March 26 at 12:15 p.m.

WHERE: Alaska Air Group’s Headquarters, just south of the airport. (GPS address: 19300 Pacific Highway South, SeaTac, WA 98188)

Today’s event comes after a year in which airport workers have repeatedly spoken up and taken action together to raise the issues of poverty wages, inadequate benefits and job security, a lack of proper safety equipment, and other dangerous working conditions. These actions have sparked intense concern by elected officials and the general public, and even prompted an ongoing state investigation of illegal labor practices and health & safety violations.

Alaska Airlines is by far the biggest airline at Sea-Tac, accounting for about half the flights at our airport. Because of their dominant market position, they have the power to address workers issues and raise standards by directing the contractors they hire to negotiate with workers unions for good jobs and living wages.

More information:

Workers employed by 4 different multi-million dollar airport contractors at Sea-Tac will announce they have formed unions with SEIU Local 6:

• Menzies workers handle baggage and provide ramp services for Alaska and other airlines at Sea-Tac. Menzies Aviation is a global provider of passenger, ramp and cargo handling services, operating in more than 132 airports in 30 countries. Menzies made $51 million last year in profits on $2.9 billion in revenue.
• BAGS, Inc. workers provide passenger wheelchair services at Sea-Tac for Alaska and other airlines. BAGS employs 5,000 people nationwide and takes in approximately $100 million in revenue annually.
• Delta Global Services (DGS) workers provide cabin-cleaning services for Alaska and other airlines. DGS is wholly-owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, Inc. which earned more than $1 billion in net revenue last year.
• AirServ workers clean aircraft cabins and provide other passenger services at Sea-Tac. AirServ is a privately-owned company employing about 12,000 people worldwide, with revenue of approximately $300 million.

Additionally, workers for ground transportation company GCA will announce they have formed a union with Teamsters Local 117.

Working Washington, a Washington based non-profit coalition of individuals, neighborhood associations, immigrant groups, civil rights organizations, people of faith, and labor united for good jobs and a fair economy. More information about working conditions at our airport is available at itsOURairport.org

Sea-Tac Ranks Lowest of 5 Major West Coast Airports

(Originally posted on itsOURairport.org)

New report shows how other airports have raised working standards, lifted up communities

“Below the Radar,” a just-released report from regional think tank Puget Sound Sage, shows that Seattle-Tacoma International Airport arrives last among five major West Coast airports in standards for wages and working conditions.

Thousands of Sea-Tac workers are paid at or near the state minimum wage of $9.19/hour, lagging far behind the airport living wage standards established by other major airports.

- San Francisco: $12.43 – $14.18 minimum

- LAX: $15.37 minimum

- San Jose: $14.71 minimum

- Oakland: $13.45 minimum

“When I load baggage onto an Alaska Airlines flight headed for LAX, I get paid $9.19/hr. The guy who unloads the plane gets paid at least $15.37. It’s the same airline, the same contractor, the same work, the same flight, and even the same bag — but I get paid $5 less. That’s got to change.” — Yoseph Diallo, Menzies Ramp Worker

The report also shows that Sea-Tac ranks below the other 4 airports in paid sick days, safety training, and job security.

The report shows that Alaska Airlines and the other carriers doing business at our airport already operate profitably at these high-standard West Coast airports. “Below the Radar” notes that Southwest Airlines has actively supported high workplace standards at San Jose airport where it dominates the market, while Alaska Airlines has remained silent about poverty-wage conditions at Sea-Tac. The report concludes that Alaska Airlines can and should ensure that Sea-Tac contractors meet those same high standards.

“Why can Alaska Airlines meet the West Coast standard at these other 4 airports — and not at their hometown airport? Alaska Airlines –  it is time to do the moral and right thing here at home: working wages for our working people who serve us all.” — Rev. Dr. Monica Corsaro, Rainer Beach United Methodist Church

“Why should my employer pay me so much less for doing my job at Sea-Tac when they pay so much more at other airports. There’s no excuse for conditions to be so much worse at our airport.” — Mary Sagbo, DAL Global Services Cabin Cleaner

Low-wage workers at Sea-Tac have taken action repeatedly in recent months to demand that the big airlines like Alaska and the elected officials who oversee our airport ensure that every job at our airport is a good job. Airport workers are among the growing number of low-wage workers across country — including Walmart clerks, fast food workers, janitors, and more — who are rising up to demand that everyone gets a fair shot at a decent living, not just the CEOs who wrecked our economy in the first place.

B-Roll available:

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/45069241/airport-workers_b-roll_2013-03.mov

0:00 – 0:03 – marchers with airport good jobs signs and international flags (April 2012 rally at Sea-Tac)

0:03 – 0:06 – Make every airport job a good job sticker

0:06 – 0:14 – Faith leaders lock arms with airport workers (September 2012, March to Alaska Airlines HQ)

0:14 – 0:24 – Marchers with signs moving down International Blvd (September 2012, March to Alaska Airlines HQ)

More information:

* Download the complete Below the Radar report or view the Report Webcast on Puget Sound Sage’s website. www.pugetsoundsage.org

* More information about working conditions at Sea-Tac available at itsOURairport.org

Below the Radar

(Originally posted on itsOURairport.org.) Puget Sound Sage has released its latest report “Below the Radar:How Sea‑Tac Airport’s substandard working conditions hurt our region and how other major airports changed course toward growth and prosperity.”

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Many travelers are unaware of the work it takes to fly in and out of Sea-Tac Airport safely, comfortably and with all their belongings. The people who handle baggage, clean cabins and provide assistance for the elderly and passengers with disabilities are essential to the quality of this experience, yet they endure poor wages, benefits and working conditions.

The consequences and their underlying causes are below the radar of the public and policy makers.

It does not have to be this way.

Four major West Coast airports — Los Angeles International, San Francisco International, Oakland International and San José International — have set minimum workforce standards to address the adverse effects of low-wage jobs and outsourcing. These airports’ policies are setting standards that create economic success for workers, local economies, airports and their airlines. Moreover, a comparison between airline and airline contractor operations at these West Coast airports and Sea-Tac Airport shows that Sea-Tac is below standard.

For decades, the airline industry has cut costs on ground-based operations that are critical to passenger air service — including baggage handling, cabin cleaning and wheelchair services. By outsourcing these services to businesses with lower wages and fewer benefits, the industry’s workers, their communities and travelers have been subjected to many unintended, negative consequences. Currently, 2,100 workers at Sea-Tac Airport endure poverty-level wages, no benefits and unsafe working conditions.

A majority of these workers live in neighboring suburban cities with a dramatically higher poverty rate (16%) than the rest of King County (9%) and worse reported health. As airport workers rely on public services to feed their families, the airport’s largest carrier, Alaska Airlines, boasts record profits for 2012.

Airline contractors compete fiercely by cutting costs that can also compromise  airport security, public health and passenger safety. Before the tragic events of 9-11, low wages for passenger screeners led to such high rates of turnover (approaching 200% a year) that Federal agencies determined nationwide airport security to be compromised.

Thirteen years later, airport workers with other vital security functions continue to make poverty wages. Also, studies at major U.S. airports show that key personnel, such as wheelchair agents and cabin cleaners, lack proper safety equipment, receive inadequate training and cannot take paid time off for illness. Recent allegations filed by over 50 airline contractor employees with Washington’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health indicate similar problems at Sea-Tac Airport.

Sea‑Tac Airport and its dominant carrier, Alaska Airlines, can meet West Coast standards.

Alaska Airlines has made record profits for several years and analysts expect the carrier to continue outperforming its competitors.

A significant percentage of Alaska Airlines’ operations (12.5%) occur at West Coast airports that have established workforce standards. This number comprises one out of eight of all Alaska enplanements (the number of passengers boarding flights).

Requirements for living wages and better benefits have not prevented Alaska Airlines from expanding business.

In 2012 Alaska Airlines invested $16 million to renovate a terminal at LAX, the airport with the highest minimum wage on the West Coast.

Alaska Airlines increased passenger volume at San José (SJC) by 26% following implementation of living wage requirements.

Several of Alaska Airlines’ contractors at Sea-Tac Airport — all multi-national companies with global customers — operate successfully under workforce standards at other airports.

Sea-Tac Airport’s monopoly on regional air travel will prevent loss of airline business to local competitors.

Recommendations: Sea‑Tac Airport and Alaska Airlines should meet West Coast standards.

Agencies responsible for the health and welfare of King County residents should work together to enact policy and programs that align with the standard set by other West Coast airports.

Alaska Airlines can and should lead this transformation. The minimum standards should include:

• Living wages

• Paid time off for sick and personal days

• Worker retention for airline and airport contractors

• Flexibility for collective bargaining

• Increased security and safety training

Read the entire report at Puget Sound Sage. 

Good Food. Good Jobs.

By Nathan Jackson

Waving messages on paper plates, airport food-service workers led a march through Sea-Tac Airport calling on the Port of Seattle to emphasize good food *and* good jobs at our airport. Port executives are currently considering changes in how food services operate at our airport that threaten to undermine the good jobs these workers have won over the years by joining together as members of Unite Here Local 8.

Working Washington and other community supporters were there to stand with these workers as they marched and sang through our airport for good food and good jobs. We loudly sang a modified version of “We shall not be moved” and after crisscrossing the airport we arrived at the arrivals hall where workers shared their stories.

Lourdes Barredo, who has worked for the airport for 21 years, addressed the crowd.

“We aren’t just fighting for our jobs,” she said. “We are fighting for our families. I’ve been here 21 years and I won’t go back to how it used to be. We’ve fought too hard so that we can take care of our families.”

The Port of Seattle is supposed to look out for the public interest, but they are pursuing a policy that will result in less stability, pay and benefits for airport food workers.  The food concession workers have fought for and won decent wages, benefits and respect from their employer. They had to scrape and struggle for these benefits and they are not going to sit idly by while the public entity, the Port of Seattle, allows for profit companies to take them away.

Too many jobs at our airport are poverty wage jobs. We've been standing up with workers who just want to be treated with respect and fairness. It doesn't matter if it is taking on the contractors that Alaska Airlines hires or speaking out for safety issues in front of the Port of Seattle. We will always be on the side of the workers who make our airport work.

The Port of Seattle is a public entity and should be working to protect good jobs, not bust them up.

Let’s remind them of that.

Airport workers are fed up

(Originally posted on itsourairport.org) Airport workers have been fighting for better work treatment for months now; workers and community members are still taking action to make every airport job a good job.

Workers for Menzies, a low wage contractor hired by Alaska Airlines handles bags for passengers. Workers, for months now have been asking for better wages, fair treatment and a voice in their workplace. The company has ignored them. The workers and community members have had enough and we marched on the Menzies HR office and demanded to be heard.

A security guard tried to force us to leave, but we held our ground. We’ve been ignored for long enough and they would listen to us this time. We were many and we were all in this together. Some of the workers were from different companies and different jobs. They know that when the workers get together in solidarity that is when real change can happen.

The manager on duty finally came out of the office and immediately launched into a “blah blah blah this is a private business, blah blah get outta here” type of speech, but he was interrupted by a Menzies worker.

“I work for Menzies,” said Ulysses. “I have every right to be here and you guys just haven’t listened to us when we go through our managers. So we’re here right now, together.”

The manager stopped using talking points and started to listen.

We handed him a petition signed by hundreds of airport workers that all are standing up for better pay, fair treatment and a voice in the workplace.

To Menzies Aviation, and the airlines that contract with Menzies:

We, the undersigned, are Menzies leads, ramp and other Menzies workers. We request that you take drastic measures regarding our management’s treatment of employees.

We need: • Adequate supplies of proper personal protective equipment, like back supports and knee pads • Higher pay—at least equal to the amount Menzies pays in other airports that have similar costs of living • Employer paid medical benefits

We work hard and we know that we make Sea-Tac Airport run well. We deserve respect!

Later, Menzies workers were joined by other airport workers as they went to Alaska Airlines to demand that the airline hold its contractors accountable for their mistreatment. Alaska has a good reputation with many travellers, but they seem to think that who it hires as contractors is somehow not reflective of their core beliefs.

Here’s the truth. Companies are responsible for the contractors they employ. If Alaska thinks that hiring contract companies absolves them of responsibility for the way that contractor treats its workers, Alaska is sorely mistaken.

Workers get this. They understand that if you want real change to happen you sometimes have to follow the money and make your voices heard. Walking down to an Alaska Airlines corporate office to talk to the Vice President of Sub-Contracting, who is in charge of Alaska’s contractor relations, they linked arms and walked in step.

The Vice President was on vacation and this isn’t the first time, must have a ton of frequent flyer miles, so we talked to a public relations officer instead.

He gave us the usual run around about Alaska cares for this or that, but he wasn’t really a decision maker. We will keep pushing. We won’t just accept someone’s word. We want real changes at our port. We’re asking for fair wages, fair treatment and a fair chance to make our voices heard.

The workers and the community around our port are standing together. We’ve seen what can happen when people fight and support each other and we’re just getting started.

We will have justice at our port.

Fired up about safety, Sea-Tac fuelers deliver a strike notice.

(Originally posted on www.itsourairport) By Nathan Jackson

“This here is a broken gear shift,” Alex Popescu, an Aircraft Service International Group,(ASIG) fueler said pointing at a blown up picture of a 5,000 gallon fuel truck gear shift. “ASIG fixed it as you can see, with good ol’ duct tape.”

ASIG is a poverty wage contractor hired by Alaska Airlines. This contractor treats workers poorly requiring them to work with shoddy equipment.

When Sea-Tac fueler Alex Popescu brought up workplace safety issues like soft brakes and taped up gear shifts to ASIG management, they ignored him. When Alex brought his safety concerns to the Port of Seattle in public forums, and then reported a broken truck to his manager, ASIG suspended him.

Workers have had enough.

They have been asking ASIG to address their workplace safety concerns to no avail. These fuelers drive and refuel 75% of the planes at our port and they have to drive 5, 10 or 15 thousand gallon fuel trucks.

So fuelers voted by an overwhelming margin to authorize a strike.

Standing in the shadow of the Sea-Tac Airport control tower, workers stood with community allies such as Faith Action Network,  Puget Sound Sage, One America, and Teamsters 117, held a press conference in front of no less than five television cameras.

“We are here to stand with these workers in solidarity,” said Michael Ramos from the Church Council of Greater Seattle. “Workers like Alex and the rest of these fuelers deserve — no demand — respect, safety and fairness in their work place and we stand with them. It’s time ASIG and Alaska Airlines did right by their workers and give Alex his job back.”

Ramos introduced another fueler to stand in front of the banners held by airport workers, Leon Sams. He approached the Q13 Fox microphone holding the letter that the fuelers have drafted to tell ASIG of their strike vote.

“My name is Leon Sams and I’m a fueler,” he said.

He cleared his throat and read from the letter.

“This past weekend, ASIG workers met and voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike if you do not immediately return Alex to work with back pay, stop all management attempts at retaliation and intimidation, and take immediate steps to address the numerous safety issues at ASIG that we’ve repeatedly brought to you, Alaska Airlines, and the Port of Seattle Commissioners.

We have not called the strike yet. But we are ready. If we strike, we know we are protected by federal and state law. It is illegal for the company to threaten or intimidate workers who are exercising their lawful right to strike for safety and against worker retaliation. Threats made by ASIG representatives to workers in recent days are illegal. And they won’t stop us. We know our rights and are prepared to defend them.”

The large crowd cheered as faith leaders approached and introduced themselves. Collared priests, ministers and people of Muslim faith shook hands with workers pledging support.

Carol Harris of God First Ministries summed it up.

“We stand on the side of those who are standing up for their rights,” she said. “They deserve respect, safety and fairness and we got their backs.”

After marching to the ASIG offices, which were locked even though it was well within business hours, the fuelers decided to take their message directly to airline passengers. With TV crews following them, they reached out to people in Sea-Tac airport about safety issues and answered questions from many supportive travelers.

Alex Popescu handing out fliers answered the big question.

“It’s about safety,” he said. “We haul thousands of gallons of highly flammable fuel in trucks with soft, shoddy brakes. . . and duct-tape-maintenance. We’re concerned about . . .  our safety.”

No one expects to get rich driving a taxi at Sea-Tac Airport. Nobody should expect to be driven into poverty either.

By Nate Jackson It's hard to believe, but it's true: after lease fees, licensing costs, taxes, insurance, gas, and maintenance, taxi drivers who pick up passengers at our airport start the work week as much as $1000 in the hole. That includes money they pay to dispatch companies like Yellow Cab and a weekly fee of more than $300 they have to pay to the Port of Seattle in order to pick up passengers at Sea-Tac.

Taxi drivers are technically classified as “independent contractors,” but in addition to the weekly fee they pay, they must follow detailed rules in exchange for the right to pick passengers up at our airport. Cabbies have set prices they cannot change, a set place to park, set rules on how they cannot approach or solicit customers, and tight rules on the appearance and condition of their taxis. They even have to follow a dress code that is written by the Port of Seattle.

These rules are created by the Port of Seattle and they are supposed to benefit the customers and taxi drivers alike by ensuring orderly & reliable service for travelers. Unfortunately, the Port of Seattle is failing to enforce the rules that they themselves set up.

For-hire limousines have suddenly been allowed to expand their services at the airport and solicit passengers, which confuses travelers and undercuts taxi cab drivers. There’s plenty of room for a wide variety of transportation options at the airport, from taxi and and limos to light rail and buses. Choices are a good thing, but the problem is that the Port of Seattle is not holding up its end of the bargain. The way they're handling the situation is unfair, and it make things even harder for taxi drivers who are just trying to make a living.

For months, taxi drivers have raised these issues to public officials, asking the Port to simply enforce their own rules regarding transportation service in the airport. Still, the Port has done nothing to address the problem and ensure all drivers have the opportunity to make a decent living at our airport.

Taxi drivers don’t expect to get rich. They just want a chance to provide for themselves and their families and continue to provide the vital services many passengers rely on. This shouldn't be complicated: it’s our port, it’s publicly owned, and it’s time the people who run the Port of Seattle lived up to their mission by making sure every job at our airport is a good job.

At this point the cabbies, have nearly exhausted their options, so they are starting to take collective action on their own. The taxi drivers are united and are ready to ready to take action to ensure they are treated fairly. It’s time that the Port of Seattle did the right thing: enforce the rules so that travelers have options and drivers have a shot at making a decent living.