Building an Economy that Works for Everyone

Jockeying for Fair Pay: Will SeaTac raise the minimum wage to $15?

Ellenm1 via Flickr Creative Commons

Ellenm1 via Flickr Creative Commons

After a big push from business to throw out SeaTac’s living wage initiative, Judge Andrea Darvas nullified the city’s Good Job’s Initiative due to findings of duplicated signatures. Every time a duplicate was found, both signatures had to be thrown out, leaving the group 17 signatures short of the 1,536 needed. The campaign had originally gathered over 2,500 signatures.

However, within 24 hours, organizers with the Yes! For SeaTac, the initiative’s supporters, successfully gathered an additional 250 signatures in order to appeal Darvas’ decision and reinstate the measure on November’s ballot. If passed by voters in November, the initiative would provide paid sick leave, promote full-time employment and procure a $15 an hour living wage.

Yes! For SeaTac has faced stern opposition from mega lobbying groups such as the Washington Restaurant Association and Alaska Airlines. So far, opposition efforts have collectively spent $240,000 trying to overturn the initiative.

But these big businesses are pushing their SeaTac workers and their families into poverty. Local Rev. Jan Bolerjack noted, “These people are underpaid and insecure,” pointing to the numerous airport employees that frequent the food bank at her Riverton United Methodist Church.

November’s initiative could ultimately provide workers and their families with greater economic security and prosperity, allowing them to provide even better service for the 33 million passengers that transit through SeaTac every year.

  • Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

More To Read

March 20, 2024

I-2111: The Income Tax Ban Is A Spectacle, but One We Can’t Ignore

A way to waste time, energy, and money, I-2111 is costing more than just taxes

March 20, 2024

Let’s Go Washington: Three initiatives threatening to roll back years of progress

Here’s what you need to know about the initiatives on your November ballot

March 12, 2024

Washington’s Women Are More Protected This Equal Pay Day

Thanks to an update to the state's wage discrimination protections, Washington woman are closer to closing the wage gap