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Item No. 10c_order
Meeting Date: September 12,
2023

ORDER 2023-13
AN ORDER OF THE PORT OF SEATTLE COMMISSION
… to establish the Airport Workforce Conditions Committee
as a Port of Seattle Commission ad hoc committee.
PROPOSED
SEPTEMBER 12, 2023
INTRODUCTION
Commissioners have prioritized improved access to childcare and healthcare as critical support
for workers at Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SEA), including both Port employees and
workers employed by SEA vendors, tenants, and service providers. Commissioners convened a
worker recruitment and retention roundtable on May 23, 2023, and heard comments from SEA
business partners, labor representatives, and workers who support improved access to childcare
and healthcare for SEA workers. These prioritized issues, and the work underway to address
them, will be advanced by establishing an ad hoc committee dedicated to airport workforce
conditions.
Recruiting and retaining SEA workers is a critical component to the operation of the airport and
of how the Port of Seattle creates jobs and supports local communities. The Port recognizes that
both access to childcare and healthcare are valid considerations when seeking employment. To
that end, the Port is committed to exploring how it can address both issues in ways that make
employment at SEA more accessible and sustainable for community members, while also
enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of SEA operations. The Port also recognizes the
dedication and integrity of the SEA workforce, which was vital at sustaining operations during the
COVID-19 pandemic and this workforce continues to serve on the front-line post-COVID-19, with
pre-pandemic traveler volumes forecast for 2024.
Establishing an ad hoc committee will create opportunity for a schedule of oversight and
engagement with staff on programmatic, policy advocacy, and operational efforts on these
topics.
TEXT OF THE ORDER
The Port Commission hereby establishes the Airport Workforce Conditions Committee as an ad
hoc committee for the Port of Seattle Commission. Upon passage of this Order, the Committee
will continue to exist until such time as these areas have been satisfactorily addressed. The ad-

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hoc committee membership shall consist of Commissioner Toshiko Hasegawa and Commissioner
Hamdi Mohamed.
The Committee shall provide oversight, information, advice, and recommendations about Port
efforts to support SEA workers as part of our mission to advance economic development and in
fulfillment of the Port’s Century Agenda goals. The committee shall focus on initiatives led by
staff from the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, External Relations, and the Aviation
Division, including:
1) the exploration of affordable, accessible childcare for SEA workers,
2) the establishment of a portwide third-party code of conduct that outlines the Port’s
expectations for its vendors related to topics like respectable worksite, civil rights, and
combatting human trafficking,
3) the provision of free hygiene products to SEA workers, travelers, and visitors, and
4) advocacy for affordable, accessible health care options for non-Port workers at SEA, both
through direct engagement with employers, as well as advocacy at the state and federal
level.
The Port of Seattle’s Office and of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, and Aviation Directors, or
designees, shall support the ad-hoc committee as the primary executive staff contacts. The role
of the executive staff contacts shall be to inform the Committee about progress on these topics,
support the Committee with timely and responsive information, coordinate with other executive
staff in support of the Committee’s work, and serve as a resource for Committee deliberation.
STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF THE ORDER
SEA Airport is one of the largest job sites in King County, with more than 250 different employers
operating onsite. According to a 2018 economic impact report, the airport provides more than
150,000 jobs annually with 24,000 badged employees.
The Port relies on these workers to maintain and grow its many lines of business. With aging
population and without sustained immigration, many economists are predicting an ongoing
shortage of workers.
Establishing an ad hoc committee will create the opportunity for Commissioners to more deeply
explore the barriers to SEA recruitment and retention and offer oversight of initiatives not
currently covered by existing Commission committees.

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