Minnesota governor appoints Somali-American cart driver to Twin Cities airports commission

A Somali man in Minnesota who works as a cart driver at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) will be the first Somali-American to have a seat on the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), the governing body that operates the Twin Cities international airport.

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton appointed Ibrahim Mohamed to the 14-member commission, and he will be the only airport employee on the board.

Ibrahim, a father of five children, has worked at the airport for 11 years and has been a baggage runner, ticket verifier and worked in lavatory and water services.

“I am excited to bring the voices of the people that I speak to on a daily basis to the MAC. In my current position as a cart driver, I speak with hundreds of elderly and disabled passengers each day. I hear about their time in MSP and am the first line of response to help,” Ibrahim said in a statement. “I am excited about this opportunity to serve and to be a leader in connecting new communities to the important work of the Metropolitan Airports Commission.”

There are more than 600 Somalis who clean the cabins of planes, move baggage or push wheelchairs inside the terminals or drive carts at the Twin Cities international airport.

Ibrahim drives elderly and disabled passengers around the sprawling main terminal of the 16th busiest airport in the U.S., according to the Twin Cities Pioneer Press.

“There are hundreds of workers like myself who are paid minimum wage, with no benefits,” he said. “I’ve made up to $12.50 at various positions, but currently make minimum wage, which just went up in August to $8.00 per hour. I will work to make sure that workers at the airport are part of the conversations at the MAC, because when workers have fair pay, decent benefits and a reliable schedule, we are able to provide world-class service to passengers.”

“I will continue to stand together with my fellow co-workers as we fight for dignity and respect for all workers at MSP, and will always fight to make sure the needs and concerns of workers and passengers are part of all decisions made by the MAC,” he added
Source: Sahan Journal