Broward To Vote On Extending Living Wage To Airport Workers
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FT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) - Those responsible for making your trip to Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport more efficient and comfortable could soon be seeing a little more in their paychecks.
On Tuesday, the Broward commission is expected to vote on closing a loophole in the county's Living Wage Ordinance to include subcontracted airport workers.
That means more than 1,700 wheelchair attendants, lobby agents, checkpoint workers, security officers, cabin cleaners and other passenger service workers who earn an average $8.35 an hour will make a minimum of $11.68 per hour with qualifying health benefits, $13.20 an hour without.
More than 83% of those workers, who are mostly African-American or immigrants, currently rely on some form of public assistance to get by, according to a recent study.
The union which represents the workers said this victory in Broward is similar to living wage increases won by airport workers in cities like Boston, Philadelphia and New York. They add that this is the first victory in a "right to work" state.
The coalition of workers, SEIU Local 32BJ and SEIU Florida said the next phase of their campaign will be to get guaranteed access to health insurance, paid sick days, as well as a statewide $15 minimum wage.
