Court says minimum wage increase applies to airport workers

Residents of SeaTac, the small city of about 28,000 people that surrounds Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, voted in November 2013 to raise its minimum wage and give workers other protections, like paid sick leave.

Proponents of the new law say that 1,300 people in the transportation and hospitality sectors off airport grounds receive the higher pay now, and that another 4,700 on airport grounds will benefit from Thursday's ruling.

In a written statement, Heather Weiner, a spokeswoman for SeaTac Committee for Good Jobs, said that airport employees were celebrating "that they will finally get the fair pay and paid sick leave approved by the voters 20 months ago."

Weiner said employees affected should also receive retroactive back pay because of the ruling, though she acknowledged that legal action might be required to seek it since the high court did not specifically address retroactivity.

In a written statement, Attorney General Bob Ferguson said that Thursday's ruling "helps protect the rights of workers at SeaTac Airport and recognizes the broad authority state and local governments have to support their hard-working residents."