The Washington Supreme Court says its opinion that SeaTac’s $15 minimum wage law ordinance applies to airport workers stands. That was in response to Alaska Airlines and other businesses asking the court to reconsider its August ruling. The "order denying motion for reconsideration" was issued by the court on Monday, November 30.
With this latest order from the Washington Supreme Court, attorney Dmitri Iglitzin says he’s confident airport grounds crew, baggage handlers and restaurant workers will immediately all be making $15.24 an hour, which is what the minimum wage law in the city of SeaTac now requires.
“We are exhilarated that finally these thousands of workers are going to get paid the wages that the voters of SeaTac decided they should get paid,” he said.
Iglitzin says the workers should also get back pay for work done since January, 2014, when the law took effect, although he says they may have to sue to get the back pay.
Businesses that argued the SeaTac ordinance should not apply to workers at Sea-Tac Airport haven’t exactly thrown in the towel, though.
In a released statement, Alaska Airlines said it’s “evaluating all of its options.”
But, Seattle University labor law professor Charlotte Garden says an appeal of the decision would be a long shot.
"As a practical matter there’s very little left for the challengers to the SeaTac minimum wage to do here," she said.
Garden says that’s because, on the primary issue raised about jurisdiction at the airport, the state Supreme Court has the final word.
