Judge exempts SeaTac airport from minimum wage law

[OLYMPIA, Washington] The voter-approved law establishing a US$15 minimum hourly wage for travel and hospitality workers in a Seattle suburb encompassing the region's main international airport does not apply to workers at the airport, a judge ruled.

King County Superior Court Judge Andrea Darvas ruled that the city of SeaTac does not have the authority to set workplace rules within Seattle-Tacoma International Airport because the aviation hub is owned by the Port of Seattle, a separate government entity.

Supporters of the law, who view it as an example for communities elsewhere to emulate in their fight for a living wage, said they will appeal the decision directly to the Washington state Supreme Court.