Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (July 20, 2018)
Street Roots • July 20-26, 2018 News Page 7 Airport workers call for better wages PDX’s greatest assets’ are struggling on minimum wages BY SARAH HANSELL STAFF WRITER espite being on the job for only three years, George Van ¿order, 1STOC K wheelchair inspector at Portland airport workers, who are “PDX’s greatest International Airport, enjoys a senior status. asset,” according to a March 2016 press Close to 70 years old, Van Gorder is a release by Chris White, Port of Portland’s father, a grandfather and a Vietnam veteran director of community affairs. who wears his hat pronouncing his service The call for higher wages for Port of proudly. In his 60s, he earned an associate Portland airport workers follows a national degree in pharmaceutical work, but couldn’t trend. In 2015, workers at the Seattle- get a job in the field. At the time, his Tacoma International Airport won a $15 daughter was working at the airport, and minimum wage. In Los Angeles, airport encouraged him to apply. workers, who organized for higher wages, Now, his co-workers call him “papa” — or w ill now m ake at le a s t $17 p er hou r by 2 021. the “Huntleigh lawyer,” Huntleigh USA is , In San Francisco, airport workers make the airline-contracted company he works for, close to $15 per hour, and are organizing for providing baggage handling, wheelchair higher wages. Airport workers in New York assisting, pre-board check-in screening, and New Jersey have been organizing for janitorial and other services. They call him higher wages, and directors of their Port “papa” because he’s the oldest one there, Authority have agreed to consider raising he says, and the “Huntleigh lawyer” because their minimum wage to $19. his co-workers depend on him to advocate The Portland airport has been named the for them. best domestic airport in the United States “They come to me with all kinds of for six years in a row by Travel + Leisure, questions,” Van Gorder said. “Not just about yet its workers are some of the lowest paid work, but personal questions and everything among leading West Coast airports, like th a t So yep, that’s me.” George Nan Gorder, left, and Bryce Pierson, work for the contractor Huntleigh USA at the according to figures compiled by the union. In 2015, Huntleigh workers won union Portland International Airport. They say their wages, and those o f others working for “They keep saying, “Oh we’re No. 1, in representation by the Service Employees contracted services, aren’t enough to live on. Portland here, because of our employees,’ ” International Union (SEIU) Local 49, and Pierson said. “Well, take care of them. ■his co-workers nominated Van Gorder to be That’s all I’m asking.” their union representative, to advocate for Pierson said. “It’s just something I’ve always relationships with the Port of Portland. According to Steve Johnson, manager of “By subcontracting these essential their rights and handle their grievances with had my dream on; how I would put my stuff content and media relations at the Port of services — essential in my own place. I’m still dreaming*” the company. Portland, 2001 Oregon to run an airline and The thing they tell him over and over Although Van Gorder is lucky, he says, legislation prevents the run an airport — by again, is that airport workers simply cannot because he receives Social Security, as well Port of Portland from "There's no way that a person contracting them make ends meet on Portland s $12 minimum as health care through the VA, he isn’t setting a minimum wage out to these low- can d© Is. la d so what do yen wage. Far from it: The National Low Income exempt from the struggle of surviving on requirement According wage, low-standard Housing Coalition 2018 report on rental leave ont? Bo y©& leave ©at to the Oregon State minimum wage. companies, they’re prices found that Oregon renters must earn “There’s no way, when you get $700 food this week? Or do yea leave Legislature’s website, at least $21.77 in order to be able to afford a every two weeks,” he said. “My rent is able to save a lot of the law “preempts all oat fa s , or do yea leave oat one-bedroom apartment. charter and statutory $1,200. That leaves me $200 - to go for gas, money and increase beat? l a d what happen«!s If One of his co-workers is a single mother, authority of local to go for food, to go for insurance on the car their profits,” said yea h a w kids?" who has to live at home with her mother, Jeremy Simer, and any other incidentals that I need,” he * r GEORGE V A N GORDER governments to set any because she can’t afford to move out, even U N IO N REPRESENTATIVE. minimum wage strategic researcher said. “There’s no way that a person can do H U N T L E IG H EM PLO YE E though she works full-time at the airport- at SEIU Local 49. requirements.” i t And so what do you leave out? Do you Another co-worker can’t afford a car, so In 2015, as a However, the same leave out food this week? Or do you leave he takes Trimet’s MAX train to the airport response to workers law also makes an out gas, or do you leave out heat? And what around 11 p.m., near the end of its run, and organizing with exception to the rule, allowing public happens if you have kids?” sleeps there until his shift begins around 3 SEIU Local 49 for higher wages and better employers to set minimum wage Van Gorder is one among hundreds of working conditions, the Port of Portland requirement “in specifications for public a.m. Portland airport workers represented by Bryce Pierson, also a co-worker of Van rolled out the PDX Workplace Initiative, contracts entered into.” This suggests that SEIU Local 49, following in the footsteps of Gorder, is 26, and has been eager to live on which established a worker retention policy the Port has the authority to set a minimum airport workers across the country his own for years, but just can’t afford to wage requirement for the workers at all the that helps protect workers’ jobs when organizing for higher wages. SEIU Local 49 move out of his family home. contractors change. represents workers at three of the See AIRPORT, page 13 “I need to have a life. I don’t.want to live What it didn’t do was raise wages for companies that have contractual with my mom and my dad anymore, ■
