Press Releases
Seattle is Now a Step Closer to a Living Wage Than Any Other U.S. City
May 1, 2014 – Seattle will have the highest minimum wage in the nation if the Seattle City Council adopts a Blue Ribbon proposal announced today. The Mayor’s Income Inequality Advisory Committee now officially calls for a raise of the minimum wage for large employers to $15 an hour.
New Analysis of Seattle’s Tipped Workers: Most Earn Below $15 An Hour
April 20, 2014 – Our analysis demonstrates that the average tipped worker in Seattle is roughly 32 years old, has at least some level of college education, and earns less than $15 an hour – even if you include tips in their hourly earnings.
New Study: $15 Minimum Wage- Single Best Option to Reduce Seattle’s Gender and Race Pay Gap
April 10, 2014 – A new study by Puget Sound Sage concludes that a $15 minimum wage would create large scale benefits for women and people of color in Seattle, and effectively narrow our city’s gender and race pay gaps.
New Report Finds SeaTac Initiative Would Boost Economy and Create Jobs
September 25, 2013 – Puget Sound Sage, a regional think tank, issued an analysis of the economic benefit of the SeaTac initiative. According to the analysis, increased worker spending will multiply, resulting in a $54 million income boost for the region and more than 400 new local jobs.
Nonstandard Work Now One Third of WA Job Market
July 16, 2013 – Private sector employers in Washington’s service industry have become heavily reliant on part-time, temporary and contract workers. They are also adopting policies that effectively cut their workers off employer-based health care. A new report from regional think tank Puget Sound Sage called Washington’s Changing Workforce documents state trends in “nonstandard” or “contingent” employment in Washington. One key finding of the study is that such jobs now represent nearly a third of the state’s employment market.
Seattle City Council Passes South Lake Union Rezone
May 6, 2013 – Today, the Seattle City Council passed the South Lake Union rezone with the intent of balancing private interest with public value. While there appeared to be consensus among Council members to bring Seattle’s housing polices on par with the rest of the country’s major urban cities, the final compromise proposal fell short. This step in the right direction missed an opportunity to go farther and ensure we create a city where everyone can live and thrive.
Report: Below the Radar
May 19, 2013 – While many eyes have been on the recent ups and downs of the airline industry with Boeing’s outsourcing troubles and Alaska Airline’s on time award, today a regional think tank issued a report shedding light on the substandard working conditions at SeaTac Airport and the harmful consequences. The report titled, Below the Radar finds that SeaTac Airport has fallen behind minimum workforce standards compared to other west coast airports.
Online Briefing: Sea-Tac Airport’s Harmful Working Conditions, One of the Worst Among West Coast Airports
May 14, 2013 – The day before Alaska Airlines executives report “stellar” profits at the company’s annual shareholders meeting, a new report from Puget Sound Sage holds the Port of Seattle and Alaska Airlines accountable for their role in creating poverty-wage airport jobs in SeaTac.
Transit Oriented Development that’s Healthy, Green & Just
May 14, 2012 – A new study from Puget Sound Sage provides evidence that gentrification underway in southeast Seattle is likely to cause displacement of renters and low-income residents from Rainier Valley, one of the most racially diverse communities in the nation, and calls on policy makers to enact jobs and housing policies that are essential to preserving communities of color along southeast Seattle’s light rail corridor.
Report reveals Seattle’s growing hotel profits come at worker expense
April 18th, 2012 – While Seattle’s downtown hotel sector recovers from the recession and faces widely projected growth and profitability, its workforce endures poverty wages and pain and injury from unsustainable management practices. Our Pain, Their Gain: The hidden costs of profitability in Seattle’s downtown hotels reveals how industry practices keep workers in poverty with low wages and unaffordable health benefits requiring public dollars to subsidize their health care costs as well as their food and housing.
Walmart’s Projected Expansion in Area Neighborhoods Would Result in Net Job Loss and Reduced Wages
April 5, 2012 – A report released today by Puget Sound Sage, a regional economic policy advocacy organization, concludes each new Walmart store opening in a Puget Sound neighborhood will result in a net loss of $13 million of net economic output and $14 million in lost wages over the 20 year life of the store.
Vow of Support for Drivers Returning to Work in Ongoing Fight for Fair and Safe Jobs
February 15, 2012 – With the Seattle Port Truckers Association announcing today that drivers were returning to work, community organizations have vowed continued support as drivers enter a new phase of their campaign for road safety and worker fairness.
Community Groups Have Port Truckers’ Backs
February 6th, 2012 – STATEMENT OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR PORT TRUCK DRIVERS: We are a powerful alliance of community, faith, immigrant rights, civil rights and environmental organizations from throughout the Puget Sound area here to bring strong and steadfast support to the Port of Seattle truck drivers refuse to return to work due to unsafe and untenable working conditions.
Puget Sound Sage announces support of Proposition 1 and opposition to Initiative 1125
October 4, 2011 – Puget Sound Sage announces support of Proposition 1 and opposition to Initiative 1125, placing emphasis on the need to invest in good jobs and a transportation system that meets the needs of low-income families.
Port of Seattle CEO Tay Yoshitani, among the highest-paid public employees in state
August 24, 2010 – Port of Seattle Commissioners will vote Tuesday, August 24 on a proposed 4 percent pay raise for Port CEO Tay Yoshitani, already among the highest-paid public employees in the state and among the highest-paid port CEOs in the nation.
Survey shows Port of Seattle neighbors are deeply concerned over health effects of port truck traffic
October 7, 2009 – Puget Sound Sage today released data showing that 63 percent of Georgetown and South Park residents surveyed believe emissions from Port of Seattle trucks are making them sick; 56 percent believe truck traffic and poor truck management pose a danger to pedestrians and car drivers; and 75 percent of survey participants want the port to reduce the pollution, noise, and pedestrian and traffic safety hazards it causes.
Fall in Earnings by End of 2008 Foretells Hard Times to Come
September 30, 2009 – Sage’s latest issue brief reveals that annual earnings for Puget Sound workers fell by 2% last year, only the first of bad economic news for working families.
Dearborn Project withdrawn, but CBA model carries on
April 24, 2009 –For the first time in the Puget Sound region, community stakeholders, including neighborhood councils, Vietnamese small businesses, community organizations and labor unions negotiated and won a legally binding commitment from a developer to provide community benefits.
Seattle’s first Community Benefits Agreement struck between Developer and Community Coalition
September 2, 2008 – After almost two years of negotiations, an agreement has been struck between the Dearborn Street Coalition for Livable Neighborhoods and Dearborn Street Developers LLC on a $300-million project, slated to be built on a 10-acre site at the crossroads of Seattle’s most economic and ethnically diverse communities – including Little Saigon, the Central District, the International District and North Rainier Valley.
Despite Strong Economy, Income and Earnings Flat
August 27, 2008 – Despite the fact that 2007 appeared to be a strong year for the Puget Sound region’s economy, Puget Sound Sage’s new brief illustrates that low-wage workers are struggling more than ever.