The Washington Supreme Court last week ruled that the entirety of Proposition 1 be upheld, meaning workers’ wages will be going up at Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA).
The 5-4 vote means Proposition 1, an initiative that raised the minimum wage for hospitality and transportation workers in the city of SeaTac to $15, also will tie future increases to the consumer price index.
City residents initially voted to raise SeaTac’s minimum wage in November 2013, but a King County Superior Court judge ruled that it wouldn’t apply at the airport because the airport is controlled by the Port of Seattle, not the city.
“The Port of Seattle respects the Washington State Supreme Court’s decision on the City of SeaTac’s Prop 1 initiative, and we are reviewing what effects the ruling may have on operations, policies and employment standards related to tenants, customers and stakeholders who work at Sea-Tac Airport,” says a press release from the Port of Seattle. “We are pleased the court agreed with the Port of Seattle that we maintain sole jurisdiction over airport operations.”
Outside of the Proposition 1 issue, the Port of Seattle Commission had been considering several policy changes, known as the Quality Jobs Initiative, aimed at improving wages and career development for men and women who work at the airport. Perry Cooper, a spokesman at SEA, says those initiatives had been tabled pending the results of court challenge.
Since the wage enhancement pieces of the QJI were lower than the $15 required as part of Proposition 1, they are no longer applicable, Cooper says.
“We are looking into what other elements may or may not be affected,” he adds.
