Why America’s Best Airport Could Be Better

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Thursday, January 08, 2015

Gladys Hernandez, GoLocalPDX Guest MINDSETTER™

Portland’s international airport, where I work as a passenger service agent, serves over 14 million travelers annually. With that many passengers, it takes thousands of people, working around the clock, to keep things running smoothly.

My job at PDX involves helping passengers in wheelchairs get around the airport. Wherever folks need to go – the ticket counter, car rental, departure gate, or the coffee shop – I’m there to help them. I also provide them with assistance for other tasks like helping people get in and out of wheelchairs, bringing luggage through security, and sometimes even helping them purchase a gift for a loved one.

I love my job because I get to interact with people from around the country and around the world. I try to make them feel at ease – I tell jokes and even sing to help them relax and enjoy their trip through the airport. If you’re paying attention, there’s plenty to see at PDX. As we begin moving, I often tell people to “just enjoy the tour!”

While I enjoy working at the airport, many PDX workers like me are concerned by what’s happening behind the scenes and what it means for both worker and passenger health and safety.

Recently, workers across PDX came together for a community forum that raised awareness around standards at the airport. My coworkers – the people who clean plane cabins, fuel planes, direct runway traffic, and transport baggage – discussed ways we can make the country’s best airport even better. We shared serious problems we see at PDX: high turnover among staff, inadequate cleaning supplies, and unsafe working conditions. And we discussed the need to make enough that workers and our families can live on.

For many airport workers like myself, working for minimum wage – just over $9 an hour – means having to make difficult choices for my family. My paycheck is just enough to pay the rent and tips are our only way to pay for things like food or gas. My family often has to choose between trying to pay the bills or put food on the table. When you don’t have a penny, one dollar can mean a lot. 

If PDX is going to be the country’s best airport, it is important that our airport establish minimum standards that address concerns of health and safety for passengers and workers, improve service quality, and treat workers fairly. Recently, a majority of subcontracted workers surveyed at PDX declared their support for a union. And by coming together to form a union, we are seeking to improve the airport experience for travellers and make sure airport jobs are good jobs that include adequate training, supplies, and equipment along with living wages, benefits and affordable health care.  

Next time you visit our airport, take a moment to think about all the hardworking people who make it such a great place. And then, just enjoy the tour!

Gladys Hernandez is a resident of Southeast Portland and has worked as a passenger service agent for more than 7 years at Portland International Airport. Learn more about the efforts of airport workers to establish minimum standards for good jobs, health, safety, and fair pay at ourpdx.tumblr.com.

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