Mayor's $15 minimum wage plan earns support of low wage workers

Working Washington expresses support for Mayor Murray's $15 minimum wage plan

“This is a $15 minimum wage plan that works for workers, and for the entire city"

On behalf of the fast-food workers whose strikes, marches, boycotts, and other mobilizations brought the call for $15 an hour to the center of public debate, Working Washington issues the following statement in support of the Mayor's plan to achieve a true $15 minimum wage for all workers:

This is a $15 minimum wage plan that works for workers, and for the entire city.

Representatives of working people, businesses, nonprofits, and other diverse community leaders have come together on a recommendation that reaches a true $15 minimum wage for all workers, helps independent businesses & nonprofits thrive, and includes robust community-based enforcement.

It's an incredible accomplishment.

On May 30th of last year, Seattle fast food workers went on strike for $15 because they knew that raising pay was necessary — even if in those first days it might not have seemed possible we could get there. But their leadership and commitment helped spark an extraordinary grassroots workers' movement that rapidly built support across the entire city. Less than a year later, we are on the verge of achieving a $15 minimum wage that ensures every worker in Seattle can support themselves, afford the basics, and contribute to the economy.

Fast food workers led the way forward, and the city has heard their call. 

"What matters most to me is my 4 year old daughter, Canaela," said Julia DePape, a Seattle McDonald's worker with Working Washington. "My dream is to give her the same opportunities as other children. For starters, I want to provide a stable home for her and I want to give her a space to call her own. Also, Canaela loves cats and dogs and probably any other animal she'd meet. I dream of taking her to the zoo for the first time because I can only imagine how her face would light up. With $15, I have a chance at that!"

Now that Mayor Murray has achieved broad agreement on a plan that makes a true $15 minimum wage a reality for all Seattle workers, we look forward to working with City Council to move forward and put these recommendations into law.

Highlights:

The Mayor's plan raises up 100,000 low-wage workers, lifting our entire city:

• Everyone who works at a big business like McDonald's or Lowe's and doesn’t receive healthcare through their job will see their minimum wage rise to $15/hour by January 1, 2017. The $15/hour minimum will increase with inflation every year after that; this rate sets the standard for all workers.
• Every low-wage worker in the city will see a significant increase to their base wage each year as they get to $15/hour, and then to parity with the citywide minimum
• Every worker gets to the same place: a true inflation-adjusted $15 minimum wage — with no deductions for tips or benefits. At current rates of inflation, the citywide minimum for all workers will reach about $18.13/hour in ten years.
• Every worker will benefit from a robust system of community-based enforcement that ensures the $15 minimum wage, sick leave, wage theft, and other labor standards are realities for every worker in Seattle.

Frequently Asked Questions about the “Fight for $15”

1. Does higher pay mean fewer jobs? No. According to numerous studies, raising the minimum wage shows little negative impact on the number of jobs^[1]. This may surprise you if you’re used to trickle-down economics, but the data shows that when wages are raised in a broad manner the workers use that increase in wages to increase demand for consumer goods.

Nick Hanauer, a multi-millionaire venture capitalist, wrote about the need to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour in Bloomberg.

“Raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour would inject about $450 billion into the economy each year. That would give more purchasing power to millions of poor and lower-middle-class Americans, and would stimulate buying, production and hiring.

Raising the earnings of all American workers would provide all businesses with more customers with more to spend.^[2]”

2. These jobs are supposed to be stepping stones, not careers.

The economy has changed and the fastest growing jobs are fast food and service jobs that pay poverty wages^[3]. Regardless of what you think these jobs are “meant to be,” the people working these jobs deserve better than poverty wages and they should have the right to organize without retaliation.

Even though Washington State has the highest state minimum wage in the country, you can’t afford to support yourself on $9 and change — let alone put money aside to reach out to a better future.

3. I worked my way up why can’t they?

These fast food and service jobs are the fastest growing jobs, and they offer few opportunities. Almost 90% of jobs in fast food are front-line poverty-wage jobs^[4], so it’s simply not possible for most people to “work their way up” in the field. And despite the fairytales about starting out on the fryer and eventually owning a franchise, the cost of opening a fast-food outlet is incredibly high^[5], and far out of reach for a minimum-wage employee:

For example, if you aspire to open a McDonald’s outlet:

To be considered for a franchise, a minimum of $750,000 of personal funds is normally required. This amount has to be yours – it can't be borrowed, such as by way of a credit line.

A prospective franchisee must put at least 25% cash as a down payment toward the total cost of purchasing an existing restaurant. The remainder can be financed, but for a maximum of seven years. For a new restaurant, McDonald's requires 40% of the entire cost of the store be paid in cash at the outset.

Equipment and pre-opening costs for a new store generally run from $959,450 to $2.11 million.

Franchisees pay a service fee based on the restaurant’s sales. Currently, that's set at 4% of monthly sales, along with rent that's due.

In order to open a new restaurant, a $45,000 initial franchise fee is paid to McDonald's.

The numbers for Burger King are similar:

The total investment needed to begin operating a restaurant will range from around $316,100 to $2.66 million.

Starting costs include a $50,000 initial franchise fee (it can be less when the term of the franchise agreement is under 20 years).

To qualify as a franchisee, you need net worth of $1.5 million and $500,000 in liquid assets.

Royalties are currently a monthly fee of 4.5% of gross sales.A monthly advertising contribution of 4% of gross sales is also collected by the corporate parent.

And Wendy’s?:

Getting in on Wendy's (WEN), which is selling more of its company-owned stores to franchisees, is extremely difficult. Currently, it's only accepting applications for prospective franchisees who want and can afford to open or buy multiple stores. Applications aren't being taken for single new restaurant owners. (Large operators aren't uncommon in the restaurant industry. One of the biggest, NPC International, owns more than 1,000 restaurants, including Wendy's stores.)

You must have net worth of at least $5 million. This could include liquid assets, retirement accounts or real estate, among other holdings.

Liquid assets of at least $2 million are required.

4. Giving people better pay in these jobs would make them give up their dreams.

When workers earn more money they can afford to go back to school, put money away and plan for their future. Getting livable wages frees them from the paycheck to paycheck mentality and lets them have a path to move towards their dreams.

5. Won’t this drive business out of our city/county/state?

All signs point to no. Minimum wages already vary from state to state by as much as $2 an hour and businesses don’t decide which state they will operate in solely on the basis of the wage differences. In fact, the dollar menu costs the same $1 in states that have a $7.25 minimum wage as it does here in Washington.

Here in Washington State there are fast food outlets right on the border with Idaho. Idaho has a much lower minimum wage of $7.25, compared to the $9.19 in Washington State, yet a McDonald’s franchisee recently told KPLU radio he didn’t even consider moving his restaurant 20 feet across the street into Idaho when he rebuilt recently^[6].  Why? He had a good location that generated strong demand.

Another local example would be in Vancouver, WA where due to our state’s sales tax, prices are about 9% higher than they would be in Oregon. Not to mention the minimum wage is higher in Washington State. Yet, plenty of fast food outlets make Vancouver their home, instead of the lower cost state right across the river.  Why? Because there’s demand for fast food close to home in Vancouver.

There are numerous elements that make a business succeed or fail. Labor costs are one factor, but only one. Businesses will locate where there is enough demand to operate successfully, and higher wages increase demand^[7].

Here’s another example. In 2007 the minimum wage in Washington was 54% higher than nearby Idaho, and the usual suspects all said it would mean doom for small businesses. The New York Times reported on what really happened:

“Nearly a decade ago, when voters in Washington approved a measure that would give the state’s lowest-paid workers a raise nearly every year, many business leaders predicted that small towns on this side of the state line would suffer.

But instead of shriveling up, small-business owners in Washington say they have prospered far beyond their expectations. In fact, as a significant increase in the national minimum wage heads toward law, businesses here at the dividing line between two economies — a real-life laboratory for the debate — have found that raising prices to compensate for higher wages does not necessarily lead to losses in jobs and profits."^[8]

This is all evidence backing up a study on the effect of minimum wage increases on restaurant employment:

Bill Lester of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill was on the team that looked at 16 years worth of restaurant employment data for 316 pairs of border counties.

“And when you add up all those comparisons and look at the average of all those differences in employment, the difference is zero,” said Lester.

Or, to put it another way: When the minimum wage increases, said Lester,“On aggregate, there's no job losses.”

6. The minimum wage wasn’t meant to be a living wage, right?

The fastest growing jobs pay poverty wages. A majority of the jobs created since the recession, 58% are low paying jobs^[9]. Like it or not, these are the jobs that are being created. If we want to kick start this economy, we need to make sure people are paid enough so they can support themselves, afford the basics, and spend money.

7. Won’t raising the wages raise the prices?

Let’s get beyond cartoon economics here. Pricing depends on a lot of factors besides labor costs, including rent, demand, turnover, efficiency, food costs, and consumers’ willingness to pay.

That’s why a recent study by Federal Reserve economists has estimated that for every 10% increase in wages, about a 1% increase in costs could be passed on to the consumer. That means a 60% wage increase could increase prices by a measly 6%.^[10]

So even if despite their billions in profits, McDonald’s decided to pass on the whole increase to consumers, a Big Mac could go from the average price of $4.56 to a whopping $4.81. Not such a big deal.

And that’s a worst case scenario. Recent studies have actually calculated that raising the minimum wage would drive up demand for consumer goods as workers who are on the lower end of wages tend to spend more of the money they receive as increased wages^[11].

Also, the minimum wage across the United States varies from state to state sometimes by as much as $2, but the prices of everyday items is virtually the same^[12].

8. Fast food jobs aren’t meant to be good jobs.

Regardless of what you think a job is “meant” to be, these are the jobs that people have. Fast food workers are almost all adults with bills to pay, and many of them have families to support^[13].

These are not jobs for pocket change or summer spending money. These are jobs that people are tying to support themselves on.

9. Robots will take away your jobs, then you’ll be sorry.

Michael Reich, coauthor of a study by the National Employment Law Project told Slate Magazine,

“Technology has been increasing restaurant productivity for some time—think of computerized ordering of supplies, Open Table and Yelp and electronic ovens—but that has not translated into lower employment in the aggregate. Indeed, employment in restaurants has been growing along with the use of technology^[14].”

The facts of the matter are that these poverty wage jobs are the fastest growing jobs in our economy. Thousands of low paying jobs were created here in Washington State during the recovery and fear of far off, potential robot overlords should not be an excuse to keep worker pay so low they cannot afford their basic needs.

10. Where did the number $15 come from anyway? Why not $25 or $100?

$15 is a number that reflects a wage that will allow a person to pay their bills and obligations and still have some money left over to plan for their future. It works out to be around $30,000/year, a decent wage that sits right at about half of the median income level in the Seattle area^[15].

$9.19 is obviously not enough and $100 is obviously a joke — you can’t support yourself on the current minimum, and of course you can’t set the minimum above the median income.  So the answer is somewhere in between — and we think $15 is a good place to start.

In Seattle, for a full-time worker to afford a studio apartment using 33% of their income (the recommended amount to spend on housing) they would need to be paid about $15/hour. For a 1-bedroom? More than $21.

That’s why we think $15 an hour is a modest start that will have a real, positive effect on workers. This movement is about workers getting paid a decent, living wage and the community pushing for a much needed economic boost. When low wage earners are paid more, they go out and spend it. The money is pushed out into the community lifting everyone up. That’s basic fairness and economic stimulus.

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^[1] http://www.igmchicago.org/igm-economic-experts-panel/poll-results?SurveyID=SV_br0IEq5a9E77NMV

^[2] http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-19/the-capitalist-s-case-for-a-15-minimum-wage.html

^[3] http://www.nelp.org/page/-/Job_Creation/LowWageRecovery2012.pdf?nocdn=1

^[4] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/25/fast-food-industry-mobility-_n_3645415.html

^[5] http://finance.yahoo.com/news/what-it-takes-to-start-a-fast-food-franchise-222831956.html

^[6] http://www.kplu.org/post/why-wont-mcdonalds-move-20-feet-lower-wage-idaho

^[7] http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/11/us/11minimum.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

^[8] http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/11/us/11minimum.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

^[9] http://www.nelp.org/index.php/content/content_about_us/tracking_the_recovery_after_the_great_recession

^[10] http://www.epionline.org/studies/aaronson_06-2006.pdf

^[11] http://www.chicagofed.org/digital_assets/publications/working_papers/2007/wp2007_23.pdf

^[12] http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/11/us/11minimum.html?hp&ex=1168578000&en=bf304392cdc5baf4&ei=5094&partner=homepage&_r=0

^[13] http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2013/08/fast-food_workers_more_often_a.html

^[14] http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/relax-a-minimum-wage-hike-wont-bring-on-the-robot-overlords

^[15] http://www.kingcounty.gov/exec/PSB/BenchmarkProgram/Economy/EC02_Income.aspx

We're walking out on August 29th. Join us.

We work at fast food chains and other low-wage jobs and we deserve better. That’s why we’re joining with thousands of other workers from New York to Chicago and beyond to call on low-wage workers across the country to walk off the job on August 29th.  We’re going on strike to improve conditions for all workers because everyone deserves a basic standard of $15/hour and the right to organize without retaliation.

We’re going on strike because even though we work at different chains, we face many of the same struggles: low pay, not enough hours, unfair treatment, and even wage theft.

We’re going on strike because we deserve opportunities for a better future.

We’re going on strike because something is seriously wrong when the fastest-growing jobs pay poverty wages.

We’re going on strike because it’s not right that some of the largest and most profitable corporations around pay some of the lowest wages.

We’re going on strike because nothing is going to change if workers like us don’t lead the way forward.

Turn off the fryers. Take off your aprons. Walk out, and join us August 29th on the strikelines.

Worker Power

What a week of worker power! You probably saw fast food and coffee workers standing up against wage theft on TV, but if ya missed it in person, we got you covered. Check out our YouTube video "Make Them Pay" - it's a little bonus footage of the week of worker lead actions against wage theft.

Fast food and coffee workers protested against wage theft from North Seattle all the way down to SoDo. Workers then came back together in downtown Seattle for a massive rally that ended with some workers linking arms and engaging in peaceful civil disobedience over the issues of low pay and CRIMINAL wage theft.

We put together a video that highlights the week long actions and presents them to ya via the YouTubes; watch and give it a thumbs up.

Seattle Fast Food Workers Are On Strike

Fast food workers have launched strikelines across the city today, forcing three restaurants to close as the workers walked out, echoing the national call for a living wage of $15 and the right to organize without retaliation. While the top tier of Seattle's economy may be booming, thousands of us are being left behind. Even though companies we work for make millions in profits, fast food workers are paid so little that we can't even afford the basics— like food, rent, repairs, and taking care of our families.

Paying us a better wage will be better for our families and our futures. Better pay for workers like us also let us contribute more to the local economy, and that benefits everyone.

We're on strike today because we can't sustain our future — or Seattle's future — on poverty wage jobs.

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.

All workers deserve respect.

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.”

Workers are stepping out to demand that they receive fair wages and respect on the workplace all across the country.

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)

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.

State fines Alaska Airlines contractor for failing to protect workers from exposure to blood borne pathogens, body fluids

  **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***

Contacts: Thea Levkovitz, Thea@workingwa.org

State fines Alaska Airlines contractor for failing to protect workers from exposure to blood borne pathogens, body fluids

 Serious health and safety violations for Alaska’s passenger services contractor at Sea-Tac Airport

SeaTac Airport - April 18, 2013 -  The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries  (L&I) has fined Alaska Airlines-contractor Bags, Inc. for failing to protect workers from exposure to blood borne pathogens and body fluids including vomit, urine, feces and blood. In issuing more than $12,000 in fines, L&I cited the Alaska contractor for four serious violations of state health and safety laws, and two general violations. Under state law, “serious violations” are issued when “there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result” if the problem is not fixed.

The L&I investigation was prompted last fall when more than 50 Sea-Tac Airport workers, including 17 wheelchair assistants at Bags, Inc., filed health and safety complaints. The wheel chair agents employed by Bags, Inc. provide services to the disabled, ill and elderly passengers of Alaska Airlines and Delta Airlines.

L&I investigators found that the contractor:

●       Failed to develop an exposure plan for “wheel chair agents and supervisors who may be occupationally exposed to blood borne pathogens or other potentially infectious materials.”

●       Failed to have a safety plan for workers “handling passengers and wheel chairs that have been or may be contaminated with body fluids such as vomit, urine and feces.”

●       Failed to make hepatitis B vaccinations available to employees “who may occasionally come into contact with bleeding passengers or surfaces contaminated with blood” or other body fluids.

●       Failed to provide training so workers can protect themselves from HIV and other infections.

●       Failed to provide employees information about how to use personal protective equipment to handle body fluids, and how and where to dispose of contaminated equipment and materials.

Press availability:

When: Thursday, April 18 - 10:30 AM

Where: Airport Arrivals Hall - south end of baggage claim (lower) level

Who: Bags, Inc. workers, faith and community leaders

Click L&I Citation and Notice of Assessment to see the full L&I citation notice.

In filing the complaint last fall with L&I, workers noted that the conditions were unsafe for passengers as well. “I have had passengers urinate and defecate in the wheelchair I use to transport them,” wrote one Bags, Inc. worker. “When this happened I had to go to the nearest restroom and improvise a solution with napkins and bathroom soap. We don’t have any equipment issued to us by Bags, Inc. to protect us and our clients in this kind of situation. After these incidents, I have had to continue to use the same chair that had been soiled to pick up more passengers. We don’t have anything to do a deep clean of the chairs beyond hand soap, and so have to just go for the next person.”

“I'm glad that my coworkers and I have been vindicated,” said Habiba Ali, who has worked at Bags, Inc. for one year.  “We're proud to serve Alaska and other customers but have been concerned about the unsafe conditions for a long time. Now, we hope that Alaska and BAGS take our issues seriously so that we can have a safe workplace and our customers can have clean wheelchairs when they come to our airport.”

L&I investigation continues into Alaska Airlines, 3 other contractors at Sea-Tac

Meanwhile, L&I continues to investigate worker complaints of  health and safety violations at Alaska Airlines’  cabin cleaning contractor, Delta Global Staffing, and its fueling contractor, ASIG. L&I also has opened an investigation into potential health and safety violations at Alaska Airlines. Additionally, worker complaints have led to an investigation at a 5th Sea-Tac company, AirServ, a contractor for several airlines.

Media availability to speak with workers, community supporters for a healthy airport and good jobs

Bags, Inc. workers and faith and community supporters will be available to speak to media directly on Thursday morning, April 18. Workers, their union representatives and faith and community supporters will gather at the airport’s Arrivals Hall and will engage in free-speech activities to alert other airport employees and concerned citizens about the health and safety problems, along with the problems of poverty wages at airline contractors.

Following are actual complaints submitted to Washington State Department of Labor and Industries on December 10, 2012 by workers who help elderly and disabled passengers move through the airport employed by Alaska Airline contractor Bags, Inc.  They charged serious health and safety violations, including:

Unsafe procedures for handling bodily fluids

“A year ago a woman urinated and defecated in my chair.  Since I had no gloves and cleaning supplies I again could only respond with paper towels and hand soap.  Not only is there no equipment provided, but there is no procedure from management on what to do in that kind of situation.  There is no training, advice, or direction for dealing with a soiled chair.  After these incidents, I had to continue to use the same chair that had been soiled to clean pick up more passengers.  We don’t have anything to do a deep clean of the chairs with beyond hand soap, and so have to just go for the next person. “

“On an International flight I had a bleeding passenger. I was to pick up the passenger and wait with her until she cleared customs. It was an elderly woman and I asked when she got in my chair if she needs to use the restroom. When she got up from my chair I noticed her bottom was soaked in blood. I had no gloves but I took napkins and placed them on the chair. There was so much blood that it soaked into the chair and was dripping onto the floor. I didn’t know what to do. When she left I took the chair to storage to change it. The chairs are issued to you and whatever happens to the chair is your responsibility. Nobody cleans the chairs.”

 Insufficient training on passenger safety

“I have been at the airport for 12 years. During that time I have encountered a few medical emergencies with my passengers. Because I hadn’t been trained on how to manage this circumstance or deal with the disabled, I am left to guess for myself.”

" I have not been provided training by BAGS on how to lift heavy bags or how to transport a passenger in or out of the chair."

Lack of personal protective equipment

“I don’t have gloves. If there is a spill or an incident with a customer, then I don’t have any materials provided to help me respond to it.”

“I have no gloves, masks, or any other safety tool to deal with an incident involving bodily fluids.”

For additional information:   www.itsOURairport.org

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.

Raise. The. Wage.

Corporate profits are booming —so why are so many jobs paying poverty wages? And get this, some politicians have actually proposed to CUT minimum wage. Seriously. Sign here to tell politicians we need to raise the wage. Jobs should create opportunity, not poverty.

When our jobs don’t pay enough to support basic spending levels, it stalls our economy, causing others to lose hours, wages and shifts. When workers are struggling just to make ends meet, it hurts our families, and our communities suffer. We need to raise the wage to boost the economy — study after study proves just that.

The Economic Policy Institute, an economic think tank, has just released a new report which found that when you raise the minimum wage it immediately gives an economic jump-start to the folks who need it most. When all of us are paid decent wages we can make a better go at it. We can put food on the table, pay bills, shop for new toys, go out to eat — putting money right back into our community.

It’s a virtuous cycle. All of us need a boost. It’s time to tell the politicians that corporations need to pay living wage.

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.”