Comments

1
At what point will we find qualified people to elect to the Port Commissioners positions? That is the worst run elected local government in our entire state. They have total authority to set the minimum wage at SeaTac, but they refuse to do it. I keep voting for new blood every time they come up for re-election, but nothing seems to fix the problems there.
2
When do we start staging protests at their meetings? Shut them down. Demand that Seatac pay its workers the same rate SFO does. Dump "lost" luggage on the steps of their offices.
3
And let Alaska Airlines know that we'll be flying other carriers as long as they are going into court contesting the Seatac vote. They are among the worst of the bunch when it comes to outsourcing labor and lowering the wage floor.

Thank you for this screed Dan!
4
Thank you for being supportive of $15/hr minimum wage, Dan. I know you've been very successful and you'd be impacted financially directly or indirectly by higher minimum wages. It's wonderful to have you on the side of low paid workers.
5
No wonder shit gets stolen out of luggage…they need to supplement their income. They get caught and fired? No biggie, they can make more at any other job.
This is the same reason why you pay your cops well. You make the loss of the job a bigger deterrent than any profits from being corrupt would compensate for. As an example of this look to our southern neighbor and see how upstanding their underpaid cops are.
6
Dan, honest question: Does The Stranger provide a living wage of at least $15 an hour, health care benefits and 12 paid days off to all of its employees and only contract with printers and other service providers who do the same?

If not, why not?
7
It seems to be the same thing with airport and airline industry jobs everywhere. I recently saw a job advertised for a "terminal ambassador"--sounds simple right? Actually the job required pretty much all the typical work of a person employed by an airline at the airport. Fair enough. But they also required applicants to be fluent in three languages, and to be willing to do the job for an unbelievable $11 per hour. What a fucking insult.
8
While still unfair, my granny who gets wheeled through airports always tips.
9
It is true that the airlines individually have to slash costs as much as they can because most are perpetually on the verge of bankruptcy and flyers can use powerful search engines to compare costs. However, it is also true that the publicly owned airports can control this by requiring all contractors to pay a living wage. Only government can solve this problem. That's why a government imposed minimum wage works.
10
"Worked to death." That remark stands out so clearly, because it's so true of the majority of low-wage jobs. That we tolerate even one person in our rich as fuck country living like that is an outrage. That millions suffer like Mr. Echeverris is fucking criminal.

The sin upon all our heads.
11
10

bravo! bravo!

brave words!!
12
@6 is correct. When The Stranger commits to $15/hr through its entire workforce then I will believe in businesses run on a margin being able to afford it. Until then, "Matthew 7:5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye"
13
#9, the airlines are raking it in these days charging a fee for any little thing.

Thank you Dan for bringing this to light.
14
Dan, my biggest pet peeve is people who misspell "ColOmbia" the country. "ColUmbia" is a University, a brand, and a city. "ColOmbia" is the country.

15
At some point, we in the U.S. are going to have to realize that flying is an appallingly wasteful and expensive way to travel, and that our expectations of being able to fly 3,000 miles for $300 are ridiculous and entitled.

Air travel in general is subsidized by corporate welfare to the airlines and the abuse of the lowest-paid workers in the industry. Participating in an abusive industry as a consumer is destructive too. Quit fucking flying, people. "But I have to fly!" No, you really don't, you've just been trained to think it's affordable and even necessary, when it's is neither of those things.
16
I've been concerned about the dangers of that potential terrorist infiltration angle for awhile. My cousin drives a soda delivery truck at SeaTac and he says that the inspections are cursory at best.

His exact words were, 'I could have a Dodge Viper back there.' He also said that he frequently gets calls from airport vendors needing soda and he just puts it on a hand truck and runs it into the terminal, pretty much circumventing security altogether.

Gotta love security theatre. Remember, it's more important to feel secure than to be secure.
17
@15 - Yep. By being consumers, we are participating in whatever evils the producer is engaged in. Every time we buy something, we are voting for that product, that brand, and everything the corporation that produces it does.

You may not be able to personally stop something from happening, but you sure can stop participating in it.
18
@15, when my company tells me to show up at a meeting that's more than a 5 hour drive away, I pretty much have to fly. So yes, people sometimes have to fly to keep their jobs.

Now in my personal life, I avoid it as much as possible. It's a miserable experience, and pricey to boot.

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