Seattle Art Museum guards strike for better pay and benefits

Unionized security guards at Seattle Art Museum are striking this week after failing to secure a contract.

SAM gallery guards — also referred to as visitor services officers — formed an independent union in 2021, in part, because workers were concerned with how people sleeping on the streets outside the museum were being treated.

Today, SAM VSO union members are striking for a higher hourly wage, benefits, and more formal recognition from their employer. Wages for gallery guards have increased since forming a union, but not enough, according to Josh Davis, one of the striking workers.

“Even though our wages have been bumped up, inflation has largely outpaced any wage bump that we’ve gotten,” he said on the picket line Wednesday. “It’s really important that we get our wages up so that we can survive in the city that we work in.”

Workers walked off the job after rejecting SAM’s latest contract offer. SAM leaders say they’ve increased their wage offer three times, most recently to $23.25 an hour. That’s only slightly less than the union’s latest offer of $24.75, but Davis says money isn’t all they’re fighting for.

“It’s also very important to us to get a union shop so that we can maintain the future of the union because we know we’re not going to win everything in this bargaining,” he said.

If the contract includes a provision establishing a union shop, also called a union security clause, employees in the department are required to belong to the union and pay dues.

“It feels like they’re hoping that not everyone will pay dues and slowly over time the union will fade away,” Davis said.

In a statement released last week, SAM defended its offer of “market-leading rates.”

“Though we are disappointed union leadership has chosen to strike, SAM respects the rights of our employees to be part of a union and make their voices heard,” CEO Scott Stulen said in the press release. “We have made significant progress toward an agreement at the bargaining table, including proposing a package that reflects our values and demonstrates our commitment to our employees.”

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