The Port of Portland this week approved a new minimum wage requirement for companies that employ baggage handlers, security officers, wheelchair agents, airplane and terminal cleaners, and other workers at Portland International Airport (PDX).
Airport businesses will need to set minimum wages at $15 per hour by July 2021; that will increase to $16.55 per hour by January 2022, aligning with the City of Portland’s Fair Wage Policy at that time. Once fully implemented, this will impact approximately 900 workers at PDX.
“We know this is a remarkably difficult time for workers in the aviation industry and we believe this wage increase is a step in the right direction for these workers that are on the front lines of helping passengers get through PDX safely,” said Curtis Robinhold, executive director at the Port of Portland.
Because the Port of Portland is a local government, the public agency is legally prevented from establishing a generally applicable minimum wage by ordinance. Implementation must take place on a contract-by-contract basis so this new requirement will be written into contracts with airline service providers, which are the companies that airlines hire to handle baggage, clean cabins and assist passengers.
This requirement also applies to companies the Port contracts with directly for services at PDX – including parking, security and janitorial support – with the Port and airline partners covering the cost of the increase for these contractors.
