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Council approves Terminal 1 lease with retroactive living-wage requirement; city and Southwest to meet on facts
Summary
The council approved a lease for Terminal 1 at Los Angeles International Airport that includes the cityretroactive living-wage obligation for subcontracted workers; council members urged immediate meetings between the airline, airport staff and the city attorneyto resolve outstanding factual disputes.
The City Council approved a long-delayed lease for Terminal 1 at Los Angeles International Airport that includes a living-wage requirement applied retroactively to Sept. 1 of the prior year, and the council approved moving forward without imposing fines if back pay is made within a specified cure period.
Airport staff and the city attorney recommended approval; Assistant City Attorney Timothy Hogan said the city attorney's office considers the lease enforceable in all terms once council approval is given. "This lease is enforceable as to all terms, and we'd recommend that the council approve it," Hogan said.
Representatives of Southwest Airlines asked for a brief opportunity to meet with airport staff and the city attorney to resolve factual questions about whether the airline's lease was in effect before September and cautioned that the airline supports living-wage policies but disputed retroactivity in this instance. "Southwest is prepared to implement the program and pay its fair share to the employees if and when this time comes," said Edwin Marzak, representing Southwest.
Workers who said they perform security and other work at Terminal 1 told the council they have worked for years at low pay with minimal benefits and urged enforcement. Madeline Janice Aparicio of the Living Wage Coalition said Terminal 1 employees were among the first to press the city for living-wage protections and urged the council to hold the company accountable. Worker testimony included specific accounts of low pay, limited benefits and reductions in staffing levels.
Under the committee compromise, the council approved the lease and included a provision that penalties would be waived if retroactive wages are paid within 45 days of enforcement; councilmembers stressed the city attorney and airports staff should meet with the airline promptly to seek agreement on outstanding factual disputes and move the wage payments into effect. The roll-call vote recorded 10 ayes. Councilmembers asked staff to provide expedited follow-up and mediation between parties where possible.
