Mandelman Proposes $30 Minimum Wage for SFO
San Francisco would raise pay for airport workers such as baggage handlers and wheelchair attendants to $30 an hour by 2030.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Air Travel
Live Poll
Should cities set higher minimum wages for airport workers to cover living costs?
San Francisco Supervisor Rafael Mandelman has proposed a $30 minimum wage for SFO workers by 2030, covering baggage handlers, wheelchair attendants, car rental staff, and aircraft cabin cleaners. The proposal would not affect cafe, restaurant, or retail employees in terminals.
Why it matters
The city's minimum pay for a subset of airport workers was set in 1999 and has not kept pace with Bay Area living costs, according to workers. Los Angeles City Council passed a similar $30 proposal for LAX workers last year.
Wheelchair attendant Nestor Dolde, who has worked at SFO for 17 years, earns $22.51 an hour, while the San Mateo County minimum is $17.95. The ordinance could affect more than 10,000 subcontractor employees, most contracted by United Airlines.
The players
Rafael Mandelman
San Francisco Supervisor who proposed the $30 minimum wage ordinance for airport workers.
San Francisco International Airport
The major airport serving San Francisco, whose subcontracted workers would be covered by the proposed wage floor.
Nestor Dolde
Wheelchair attendant who has worked at SFO for 17 years and earns $22.51 an hour.
Sanjay Garla
Official cited as saying the ordinance would likely affect more than 10,000 subcontractor employees at the airport.
The details
The proposal is a city ordinance setting minimum pay for airport workers at SFO. Workers say current wages are too low to cover the cost of living in the Bay Area, and the union has been in contract renegotiations for over a year.
Timeline
1999: San Francisco set airport security worker minimum pay $0.50 above the citywide minimum.
Two years ago: Terminal cafe, restaurant, and retail workers won raises after a three-day strike.
Last year: Los Angeles City Council passed a $30 minimum wage proposal for LAX workers.
End of this year: Mandelman leaves office before the bill reaches a full board vote.
2030: The proposed $30 minimum wage for SFO workers would take effect.
Roadmap
San Francisco's proposal follows the $30 minimum wage target Los Angeles City Council passed for LAX workers last year. The San Francisco version would apply the same wage goal to SFO's subcontracted workforce by 2030.
Travelers may see higher costs if airport labor expenses rise under the proposed $30 wage, though the source does not quantify any fare change. Airport workers in affected roles would see a significant pay increase if the ordinance is adopted.
The takeaway
Minimum wage rules for airport workers are shifting in major California cities, and San Francisco's proposal would bring its airport pay floor closer to Los Angeles's $30 target. Travelers and workers alike should watch how the measure advances after the current supervisor leaves office.
What happens next
Mandelman leaves office at the end of this year before the bill reaches a full board vote, and the proposed wage would take effect in 2030.
Further reading
Explore more on air travel news and how airport labor rules affect flights and fares.
Source note: This article includes information reported by San Francisco Chronicle.
Live Poll
Should cities set higher minimum wages for airport workers to cover living costs?
