"County will phase in wage rule at Wisconsin airport"

Friday, May 21, 2004

County will phase in wage rule at airport 
By Bill Novak
The Capital Times (WI)


Airlines serving the Dane County Regional Airport will have more time to
implement the county's living wage ordinance for security workers even
though the issue divided the County Board between liberals wanting to raise
salaries and conservatives who say the law will hurt financially distressed
airlines. 

The board voted 18-17 to phase in the living wage ordinance for the
approximately 50 airline employees having access to secure areas of the
airport. The ordinance was a "compromise" suggested by County Executive
Kathleen Falk so the seven airlines flying in and out of Dane County
Regional won't feel the full impact of the law for three years. 

The living wage for 2004, according to federal poverty guidelines, is $8.85
an hour. Starting next week, airlines will be required to pay 80 percent of
the minimum, or $7.08 an hour, through Dec. 31, 2004, when it will go to 90
percent, or $7.96 an hour. By 2006, the airlines will have to pay 95
percent, or $8.40 an hour, and by 2007, the airlines have to pay the full
100 percent of the living wage. 

Only one airline at Dane County Regional Airport will be affected
immediately. Midwest Connect, the commuter line of Milwaukee-based Midwest
Airlines, has a base starting minimum of $7 an hour. 

The living wage ordinance was approved at the last County Board meeting, but
some supervisors feared if the airlines were forced to pay the $8.85 minimum
right away, some airlines could pull out of Madison. Falk came up with her
phase-in plan that was passed last night. 

Not all supervisors were happy with the living wage ordinance or the
phase-in idea. 

"It's just a little bit of poison with a little bit of water to make it
easier for the airlines to swallow," said Supervisor Dennis O'Loughlin, a
member of the Airport Commission. 

"I have a business with 18 employees," O'Loughlin said. "If someone came in
and told me I have to pay more money to my employees, that's wrong. That's
un-American." 

Supervisor Paul Rusk, who also sits on the Airport Commission, said the
phase-in is more palatable to the airlines but could hamper efforts by
airport staff to attract more airlines and more flights to Madison. 

"We will be the third airport in the country to have a living wage
requirement," Rusk said. "If we phase it in there will be a better buy-in by
the airlines. The phase-in is over three years, and by then our contracts
with the airlines will be up." 

The total cost of the move is about $2,000, but it might cost the airport
and Dane County much more than that, said Supervisor Eileen Bruskewitz. 

"The airlines are not going to pull out of Madison because of this," she
said. "But airlines are looking for places that are business-friendly. We're
only talking $2,000, but what message do we want to send?"


 Do you have an opinion about this story?
Share it with other readers in our CAA Discussion Forums

http://www.californiaaviation.org/dcfp/dcboard.php


*****************************************