Demand an end to their employer interfering with workers’ efforts to join together to demand $15 hourly wage and a safe workplace

(SEATAC)— In the backdrop of the Seattle’s public school teachers’ strike over improved working conditions, and the victory for fast food workers in New York who won a $15 per hour minimum wage, baggage handlers, cabin cleaners and ramp workers employed by Alaska Airlines contractor Menzies Aviation at Sea-Tac International Airport walked off the job today to protest against unfair labor practices—including intimidation, threats, and harassment— by their employer.

“By standing united on the picket line today, we sent a message to Menzies that even though the company tries to intimidate us we will not give up and will continue to fight for our right to join together and raise standards for all of us at the Sea-Tac Airport,” said Socrates Bravo, a ramp agent who has worked for Menzies for more than four years.

Today’s strike by Menzies Aviation workers is the latest in a series of coordinated actions taken by airport workers at major origin and destination airports across the country to exercise their rights to join together to demand a $15 hourly wage and union rights.

Several strikers shared their experience with community allies and the media about the unfair labor practices they’re subjected to at Menzies when workers join together to improve their working conditions. “We're here to support you as you tear those shackles off,” said Reverend John Helmiere from the Valley & Mountain Fellowship in Seattle who addressed the striking workers at a rally held inside the airport.

As part of their strike, the Menzies workers enlisted the traveling public’s support to send a message to Alaska Airlines’ CEO Brad Tilden and encourage Alaska Airlines to tell their contractor Menzies Aviation to respect the law.

“We are standing up for what is right and we know that when we stand together we can accomplish anything,” said Ailene Lagat, a ramp service agent who works for Menzies. “No matter what intimidation tactics and obstacles Menzies puts on our way, we will overcome them as long as we continue to stand united.”

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Airport workers at major origin and destination airports across the country are coming together in Airport Workers United, a movement of workers and community allies, raising their voices for $15 and union rights to make our airports safe and secure for passengers, employees and our communities. Together, they have won a union voice for 15,000 airport workers and have already secured wage increases and other job improvements for more than 45,000 airport workers nationwide.

Background:

Menzies workers at Sea-Tac have been standing together for the last few years to raise standards at Sea-Tac and make the airport safe and secure for both the traveling public and airport employees. The workers’ attempts to improve their livelihoods, including banding together to demand a $15 hourly wage and better working conditions have been met with continued intimidation tactics and other boss antics from their employer. Below are some of the ways in which Menzies Aviation is attempting to prevent their workers at Sea-Tac Airport from exercising their legal rights.

• Menzies’ policies deny their Sea-Tac workers the right to contact attorneys and government officials to protect their rights, including their right to a safe workplace, and to report Menzies’ failures to comply with the law;
• Menzies’ policies prohibit workers from criticizing in public and in the media actions by the company in failing to pay their workers a wage of $15 per hour;
• The company has engaged in actions subjecting workers to surveillance by company supervisors and security agents while workers attempt to peacefully exercise their right to speak out on working conditions including their right to be paid $15 per hour;
• Menzies Aviation threatened to discipline one of their employees for speaking out to the press regarding unsafe working conditions.

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