Check out our Prezi Presentation of some of the best moments in the new workers' movement from 2013!
At Doc Maynard's Low-Wage Workers Tell Their Stories
“I never used to understand my father,” Fermin said into the microphone. “He was always angry, cold, you know? It wasn’t until I grew up that I realized why. He was always working and it was killing him.” He looked around the full room at Doc Maynard’s Bar and gripped the microphone.
“He worked jobs like I do,” he said. “They don’t pay anything, barely anything and you have to work all the time just to make ends meet. It’s not right and we have to do something about it. I don’t want to turn out like he was in my childhood always tired, never smiling. I do want a family someday, but I can’t do that to them.”
Fermin works at a fast food company. He is paid poverty wages and lives in a small apartment. He has had to cut all his living expenses to the bone as his job pays him so little. He was sharing his story to a room full of community members who had all come out to show their support for workers in the crowded, darkened stage room of Doc Maynard’s, a downtown Seattle bar and tourist attraction.
“I want to be able to save money, go see a movie once in a while,” he said. “Sometimes I have to skip meals. How am I supposed to think about going back to school or anything like that? I just want to make enough to live the way I want to live.”
Workers across the country are starting to stand up. A few months ago, fast food workers from New York City walked off the job in a first of its kind one day strike. The facts are that 7 out of the 10 fastest growing jobs in the United States are low wage jobs.
There is no reason why these jobs need to pay so little or have such unpredictable and changeable hours.
It isn’t an isolated case that workers are standing up. The LA Times article “Fast-food workers walk out in N.Y. amid rising U.S. labor unrest” said:
“Those actions (New York Fast Food Strikes) follow a period of relative quiet on the labor front, broken by the Chicago teacher’s strike earlier this year and a strike by employees of Hostess Brands….more walkouts are likely to come.”
Sarah Jaffe, an independent journalist, was the MC for the event. She has written extensively about labor issues, workers’ rights and the Occupy Movement. She had also just written about the New York strike calling it “The McJobs Strike Back.” She welcomed the audience to the event and introduced the other speakers.
“I’ve never been a part of something like this,” she said standing on the stage. “But, I’m inspired by these workers who are telling it like it is. There’s something going on in this country and workers are making it happen. Let’s hear from them now.”
The other workers shared their stores while sitting on an elevated stage with microphones pinned to their shirts or blouses. They were from different jobs and different workplaces, but they all had something in common. They were taking action to change their workplaces for the better. They all wanted better wages and better treatment.
“I’m getting married,” Spencer said holding the microphone in a firm grip and looking out at the audience. “I don’t know how we are going to make it because I am paid such low wages. We can’t even think of starting a family. We wouldn’t be able to afford it. That’s why I’m doing something about it. My co-workers and I have formed a Union. We’re standing up together.”
Spencer works for a low wage airport contractor at Sea-Tac Airport. He handles the baggage driving the trucks and loading and unloading the luggage of Alaska Airlines’ passengers. It is fast paced; harried and thankless work and for all their efforts they are paid poverty wages.
“We marched on our managers,” Spencer said. “Too many of us have been working scared—scared for our safety, scared of our bills, scared of saying anything. Not anymore. We need better wages and a safer workplace. And we are going to make it happen.”
Pancho, speaking through a translator, talked about his work in a fast food restaurant. He has been working at the same location doing the same work for nearly three years and he hasn’t seen his wages go up except when minimum wage has.
“I work hard,” he said becoming more animated as he clutched the microphone. “I’m taking care of my family back in Mexico and this pay; it just doesn’t. I have two daughters and I’m worried about them.”
Pancho talked about how when he first got hired at the job the managers told him that if he increased his skills and undertook on the job training they would increase his wages. He has learned new skills, mastering the machines, learning food prep skills and even taking more responsibility at work across different job types. His pay hasn’t risen.
“I learned all the things they wanted me to learn,” he said. “I learned to cook, to clean, to work the machines. I do the work of two people and I still make minimum wage.”
He paused to let the translator catch up.
“I’ve been on the job for three years,” he said. “This industry just cuts corners. They don’t hire enough people; they don’t pay enough wages and I have to do something about it.”
Wilton is a fast food worker from New York. He took place in the historic fast food worker strike a month before. He joined hundreds of other workers taking their message to the street and he came out to Seattle to give encouragement to workers who are fed up with low wages and poor treatment.
“I’m a cook,” he said. “I’m a good cook. People say I’m the best one there. But, I can’t survive on the paychecks they give me. I went on strike for my family. I deserve better pay—a living wage.”
Wilton looked around the stage.
“I work seven days a week,” he said. “I have to just to make enough to make it, but it still is not enough. I don’t get to see my family or hug my children. I want a living wage so that I don’t have to work seven days a week. That’s why I went on strike. That’s why I’m out here. Thank you.”
A recent study from the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank found that minimum wage increases raise incomes and increase consumer spending. The authors examine 23 years of household spending data and find that for every dollar increase for a minimum wage worker results in $2,800 in new consumer spending by his or her household over the following year.
When workers get paid more they are much more likely to turn around and put that money back into the community, lifting up local businesses and supporting other jobs.
It just makes sense.
Brittany took a deep breath and grabbed the microphone.
“I’m Brittany,” she said. “I work at Walmart. I’m a single mom and I take care of my two year old son. Because of Walmart’s pay and hours I’m still living at home. I want to move on.”
She paused looking around the room. The audience clapped encouraging her to continue.
“I used to get decent hours,” she said. “I mean the pay was always bad, but the hours were decent. But, they’ve been cutting hours so much and trying to make excuses. They say that sales are down, but it’s not true. Stop making excuses Walmart. You just don’t want to pay us a decent wage.”
She shook her head.
“They keep cutting hours and then hire people,” she said. “It doesn’t make sense, ya know? So I joined OUR Walmart, a group of associates who are working together to make Walmart pay us a decent wage and give us enough hours.”
Brittany stopped and smiled.
“I want to be a kindergarten teacher someday,” she said. “I just want decent pay and pretty good hours so I can make those plans come true. I don’t want to be rich or anything, I just want enough so I can take the next step.”
Video: Low wage workers at Sea-Tac fight for fair wages and safety
(Originally posted on our Tumblr page: workingwa.tumblr.com)
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.
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/
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.
Stand Up for Human Rights at our Airport
(cross-posted from itsourairport.org)
Stand Up for Human Rights at Sea-Tac: Dec 10
Stand up for the human rights of airport workers:
International Human Rights Day
Monday, December 10, 2012: 1:45 pm
Gather at the Sea-Tac light rail station
December 10th is International Human Rights Day, a holiday which honors the basic truth that every human being has the right to be treated with dignity, fairness, and respect. That’s something everyone deserves, no matter what they do or where they live. This year, many airport workers will mark Human Rights Day by gathering with faith leaders and other community supporters at the Sea-Tac Airport light rail station.
Together, we’ll call on the Port of Seattle and the big airlines like Alaska that do business at our airport to respect the basic human rights of all workers at Sea-Tac.
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.