SeaTac workers made history in 2013 when we joined together to pass Proposition 1, which raised the minimum wage to $15/hour and ensured union rights at the airport. We not only sparked a national movement for higher wages, we also raised the standards for our families and our communitites. Money that would have gone to the top in profits would now stay in the hands of the workers.
SeaTac passenger service workers are key to our region’s economy. In 2017, passenger service workers:
- Served nearly 47 million passengers arriving and departing on 416,124 aircraft
- Contributed an estimated $22.5 billion in economic activity in Washington State
- Created an estimated $274 million in economic activity in the City of Tukwila
- Contributed an estimated $138 million in economic activity in the City of Burien
We Make the Airport Work. That’s why we’re coming together again to fight for a better contract. Passenger Service Workers know we need:
- Affordable healthcare
- More opportunities for full-time work
- Improved seniority protections
- Job security for long-term leave
Just like we did with Proposition 1 in 2013, we’re coming together again to make our jobs better. Check out our Facebook page @SEIU6 for up-to-date info on actions and events.
“You have to be patient and responsible in this work, find out what the passenger needs. The union is important because anything can happen on the job and you need someone to support you.”
– Abdi Nasir
“Cabin cleaning is hard work. When we’re done, we’re dripping sweat. We do security searches while we clean. Making sure the airplane cabin is safe and secure is the most important part of the job. Being in our union gives me safety in making my voice heard.”
– Karla Sanchez
“We need more affordable health insurance because healthcare costs are so expensive. All workers and our families deserve to have good healthcare and get their checkups.”
– Tigist Belay
“I work on the ramp as a baggage handler. It’s nonstop in the summer; we run 150-200 bags per hour. Being in a union makes it a safe airport with higher standards. What we did with Prop 1 shows you we can do it again.”
– Alex Hoopes
“Our union is important because if there’s someone in the company who mistreats workers, you can fight back. We may speak in accents, but we don’t think in accents. The union makes sure we workers get our respect.”
– Eleni Senebeto