Initiative asks for $15 minimum wage for some SeaTac workers
Initiative asks for $15 minimum wage for some SeaTac workers
»Play Video SEATAC, Wash. -- Unions estimate there are about
6,000 low-wage hospitality and transportation jobs around Sea-
Tac Airport.  This fall local voters could raise the minimum
wage for many of those workers, but Alaska Airlines and others
are balking at the idea.  Washington's minimum wage is $9.19 per
hour, but there's a move to raise that to $15 per hour for
certain workers around the airport.  That increase would be for
workers such as Chris Smith, who refuels planes and works two
jobs to make his budget.  "One is to get an income of any kind,
the next one is just to get any benefits," Smith said.
Supporters of the union-backed initiative claim they have enough
signatures to put the minimum wage hike on the November ballot
in SeaTac.  The plan would only affect hospitality and
transportation workers not covered by a collective bargaining
agreement.  For example, people who wor