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
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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.