Northwest Council - April 14, 2022
It is moved that: The NW Council calls on the Martin Luther King County Labor Council to adopt the following resolution in support of the King County International Airport/Boeing Field workforce:
Resolution in Support of King County International Airport/ Boeing Field Jobs
WHEREAS, King County owns and operates the King County International Airport/Boeing Field also known as the KCIA;
WHEREAS, KCIA’s operations are critical to the viability of Washington’s aerospace industry and aerospace-related jobs;
WHEREAS, numerous Unions affiliated with the Martin Luther King County Labor Council have thousands of jobs directly and indirectly connected to the operations at KCIA;
WHEREAS, aerospace employees working in Renton, Tukwila, Seattle and elsewhere depend on the airport for delivery, flight testing, and other critical functions tied to the airport;
WHEREAS, King County established the King County Airport Roundtable to give Labor, local communities, business, and other airport stakeholders the ability to address concerns and weigh-in on airport development plans and operations;
WHEREAS, proposed King County ordinance 2022-0011 creates a new community advisory committee that would make recommendations related to the future of the airport and would not include Labor’s voice;
WHEREAS, the creation of a new airport committee will diminish Labor’s voice in airport operations and put the committee at odds with the Airport Roundtable;
WHEREAS, proposed King County ordinance 2022-0011 creates new powers for interests who aim to limit and reduce operations at KCIA;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that Martin Luther King County Labor Council express Labor’s collective concerns over King County ordinance 2022-0011 by sending an official letter to the members of the King County Council and the King County Executive, asserting the importance of protecting union jobs tied to the airport, and the need for strong Labor voices within KCIA operations; and
THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Martin Luther King County Labor Council affirms our support to the workers at KCIA and will continue to advocate for the union jobs connected to the current and future operations of the airport.