Formerly, this wage range fell between US$9.32 and US$10.88 an hour.
For some workers this has translated into a 28% hike in their hourly pay. The airline says that it took the step following a wage survey of comparable jobs, at which point it decided that its wages were not in line with those of the local employment market.
Readers will recall that last year Sea-Tac voters approved a minimum wage of US$15 an hour for major employers in the transportation and hospitality sectors within the city.
Following this, a King County Superior Court judge ruled in December that the law did not actually govern wages for vendors at Sea-Tac airport, which is owned by the Port of Seattle. In fact, Alaska Airlines was a plaintiff in that case and the case has been appealed to the Washington Supreme Court, which was set to hear the case in June.
In all, more than 200 other airport contract workers, baggage check-in providers and wheelchair escorts saw Alaska increase their wages to a minimum of US$10 an hour in April. Alaska took the decision to increase this particular segment's pay because those involved were on a lower minimum wage, compared to ramp workers and cleaners.
Alaska does not pay these workers directly but rather employs third party vendors such as Menzies Aviation, Delta Global Services, ASIG and Bags Incorporated to provide the services.
