More Than 100 Seattle Art Museum Workers Plan to Unionize
More than 100 employees at the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) announced plans to unionize under a new group called Seattle Art Museum Workers United, seeking to represent staff across more than 20 departments. In a letter to SAM director and CEO Scott Stulen, organizers cited “unsustainable wages,” inadequate health benefits, and “top-down decision-making” as persistent issues; the museum did not respond to an ARTnews request for comment. The new union says it has supermajority support among eligible workers, while previously unionized security staff (SAM VSO) will remain separate after forming in May 2022 and finalizing a contract in late 2024. Art handler Drew Davis said that from 2020 to 2025 he observed benefit cuts and significant retirement losses for some employees, and organizers listed priorities including higher wages, just-cause protections, retention incentives, and improved PTO, healthcare, and retirement benefits.
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This story was covered in Auction Fever, Restitution Fights, and Workers Rising