Civil disobedience & other things to expect at Alaska Airlines protest today

Possible arrests, evening rush hour on International Boulevard, Kshama Sawant, and more

What to expect at today’s rally at Alaska HQ over the airline’s lawsuits blocking $15/hour

  • 4:15pm, International Boulevard: Workers and supporters will gather at 19415 International Blvd, SeaTac (the IBEW building). At about 4:15 pm, we will proceed across International Blvd to Alaska Airlines Headquarters (19300 International Boulevard, next to Angle Lake Park) to protest the company’s ongoing efforts to block the $15/hour minimum wage, robbing millions from airport workers and our community.
     

  • Civil disobedience: Several airport workers and community supporters are ready to risk arrest in peaceful disobedience over the ongoing efforts by Alaska Airlines to rob SeaTac workers and the larger community of the $15 minimum wage. Protestors will gather at 4:15 pm and the protest will likely reach its culmination at about 5:00 pm, outside Alaska Airlines Headquarters.
     

  • Record profits: Alaska Airlines has banked record profits each quarter since before the votes were counted in last year’s election. The airline tallied a half-billion dollar profit last year alone, and described their most recent results as their “best quarter ever”.
     

  • Anything & everything: At the same time as their profits set record after record, Alaska has tried anything & everything to block workers from the $15/hour they won in last year’s election. Alaska sued to keep $15 off the ballot in the first place, campaigned unsuccessfully to vote it down, and then sued in state court to block it from taking effect for thousands of airport workers, arguing that SeaTac doesn’t have the power to set a minimum wage. Just last week, their big national airline lobby group filed a Federal lawsuit too, claiming this time the Port of Seattle doesn’t have the power to set a minimum wages, either.
     

  • Risking arrest: City Councilmember Kshama Sawant is one of those ready to risk arrest in peaceful civil disobedience outside Alaska Headquarters today.
     

  • Key background: SeaTac voters galvanized a national movement for higher pay last November when they passed Proposition 1, which guaranteed a $15 minimum wage, paid sick days, and other labor standards for travel & tourism industry workers in and around our airport. Today, eleven months after the $15 minimum wage was supposed to take effect, many workers are left making little more than the statewide minimum wage of $9.32 an hour — losing about $5/hour for each hour worked since January 1st. The total of lost wages due to Alaska’s shenanigans totals $14 million — and counting.
     

  • Worker interviews: Workers will be available for interviews before the 4:15 pm start time. Contact Sage Wilson, Working Washington to arrange: sage@workingwa.org

###

Contact: Sage Wilson, Working Washington: sage@workingwa.org

Working Washington unites working people to fight for a fair economy where everyone can support themselves, afford the basics, and contribute to the economy. We launched the fast food strikes that sparked the fight for $15 in Seattle; we helped lead the successful campaign to pass $15 in SeaTac; and we work in coalition with unions, faith groups, and grassroots organizations to hold corporations & politicians accountable to community needs.

 

"We've been robbed"

Wednesday, November 19, 2014, 4:15pm: Major rally at Alaska Airlines Corporate Headquarters in protest of their attempts to rob SeaTac workers of the $15 minimum wage — a heist worth thousands of dollars to each of thousands of airport workers. Lost wage increases are estimated to total $14 million — and counting.

Read More

Healthcare experts to train at-risk Sea-Tac workers on infection control practices

Healthcare experts will hold trainings this week for Sea-Tac workers on best practices for infection control to ensure the health & safety of everyone who works at or travels through our airport. These trainings are a response to increasing concerns from workers and the traveling public that current practices may be insufficient to prevent the spread of infectious disease at our airport

Read More

WEDNESDAY: Local fast food workers declare "I-90 is now WA-$15"; to rally, risk arrest

"I-90 is now WA-$15": fast food movement expands beyond Seattle

Workers willing to do "whatever it takes" — including risking arrest in peaceful civil disobedience — to defend and expand $15/hour

Fast food workers with Working Washington are taking their movement beyond Seattle and across the state — and declaring that I-90 is now WA-$15 to mark the occasion.

Who: Fast food workers with Working Washington who rose up and won $15 for Seattle

What: Rally, march, and even risk arrest to defend and expand the movement they're building to end poverty wages

When & Where: TOMORROW, Wednesday, September 10th, 2014

11:00 am: Announcement and kick off: McDonald's (First Hill): 1122 Madison St, Seattle, WA 98104. Workers and community supporters will announce their plans to take bold action to defend Seattle's $15 law and expand their movement to strike poverty across the state.

12:00 pm: Rally in view of WA-$15 (formerly known as I-90) and Lake Washington East Portal Viewpoint Park: 1400 Lake Washington Blvd S, Seattle, WA 98144. (Closest vehicle access at S Irving St & 35th Ave S ) The park offers a view of WA-$15 (formerly known as I-90), Bellevue, and beyond.

For additional details, contact Sage Wilson, Working Washington: sage@workingwa.org

I-90 is now WA-$15

More information:

Multiple events are planned throughout the day Wednesday, until approximately 6:30 pm. Local fast food workers have pledged to do whatever it takes — including acts of peaceful civil disobedience — to defend and expand our $15/hour victory in the face of an aggressive campaign by big business groups desperate to turn back the clock on history.

Before the first raises under Seattle's minimum wage law have even taken effect, it’s already under attack by corporate interests. The International Franchise Association, a DC lobby group for global franchise systems, has filed a legal case to try and take our $15 away, because they think it isn't fair to McDonald’s. And initiative profiteer Tim Eyman is currently trying to raise $1 million for a ballot campaign to attempt to repeal our law.

These corporations can see that the tide is turning, and they're trying desperately to turn it back.

That's exactly why fast food workers with Working Washington have committed to do whatever it takes to protect our victory in Seattle, and expand the strike poverty movement to workers across the state & across the country.

More details to come.

###

Contact: Sage Wilson, Working Washington, sage@workingwa.org

Working Washington unites low-wage workers to fight for a fair economy where everyone can support themselves, afford the basics, and contribute to the economy. We launched the fast food strikes that sparked the fight for $15 in Seattle; we helped lead the successful campaign to pass $15 in SeaTac; and we work in coalition with unions, faith groups, and grassroots organizations to hold corporations & politicians accountable to community needs.