(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…
Originally posted on itsourairport.org By Nate Jackson Sifredo Flores, a Fueler at Sea-Tac airport, pulls up his sunglasses and starts telling the on-duty manager of Alaska Airlines why he and 25 other community members came out to talk. “I’m a fueler. I work hard, but ASIG doesn’t have any respect for us,” he said. “We…
Update: Recycle and Yard Waste drivers have reached a new 6 year deal with Waste Management. For more details visit teamsters117.org. Recycle and yard waste drivers, represented by Teamsters Local 117, voted to ratify a 6-year contract agreement this morning. The contract vote was held after a 9 A.M. meeting at the Teamsters building in…
By Nate Jackson Selah Mohammed, a taxi driver sporting sunglasses and a light blue button up shirt, spoke to the gathered media as tourists stood in line to board the cruise ship outside of the Port of Seattle’s headquarters on Pier 69. “We, the taxi drivers, are part of this airport,” he said. “We provide…
By Nate Jackson It’s hard to believe, but it’s true: after lease fees, licensing costs, taxes, insurance, gas, and maintenance, taxi drivers who pick up passengers at our airport start the work week as much as $1000 in the hole. That includes money they pay to dispatch companies like Yellow Cab and a weekly fee of more…
by Nate Jackson Hundreds of airport workers, their families and community members came out on a sunny Saturday to say one simple thing: let’s make every airport job a good job. We gathered at the flag pavilion where we set up a stage flanked by large standing flags of over twenty nations representing the diverse…
by Nate Jackson Apparently the 1% don’t like hearing from us. Billionaire Paychex Inc CEO Tom Golisano said, “If I hear a politician use the term ‘paying your fair share’ one more time, I’m going to vomit.” The idea of fairness makes him sick and he’s not alone. Big bank CEOs and other 1% elites…
by Nate Jackson What do you call a man who snatches away the things that bring us joy? The Grinch. Monday morning a group of 99%ers gave a wake up call to a 1% local area “Grinch” named Kemper Freeman. Freeman is a Bellevue real estate mogul who throws around money to political campaigns and…
By Nate Jackson If you are the Port of Seattle and most of your workers make poverty level wages what do you do? You throw a party to celebrate your overpaid executives, the one percent. The Port of Seattle calls itself “The Port of Prosperity.” We call it the “Port of Poverty.” The Port on…
