Over 100 employees from various departments at the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) have declared their plans to form a union. In a recent letter addressed to Director and CEO Scott Stulen and the museum board, the workers requested voluntary recognition of the union by Wednesday, May 27. Operating under the name Seattle Art Museum Workers United (SAMWU), the staff has joined forces with the Washington Federation of State Employees/AFSCME Council 28, a union that also represents Tacoma Art Museum workers, as initially reported by the Seattle Times.
Dated May 13, the letter from SAMWU was endorsed by 59 current employees, including those in visitor experience, collections care, curatorial projects, events management, and education. The letter highlighted issues such as unsustainable wages, inadequate health benefits, and a hierarchical decision-making process, stating, “The challenges we face are undeniable, systemic, and have persisted across administrations.” SAMWU emphasized that merely changing leadership would not resolve these fundamental issues.
The union is advocating for improved compensation, benefits, and transparency, as well as the establishment of “just-cause” job protections instead of the current “at-will” employment system. The letter commended the efforts of the SAM’s unionized security guards, who conducted a 12-day strike in 2024 that concluded with a contract after protracted negotiations, and acknowledged the broader trend towards unionization in the arts and culture sector.
Scott Stulen confirmed to Hyperallergic that the museum’s leadership is reviewing the letter. He stated, “Our employees are one of our greatest assets, and we have long supported their rights to advocate for themselves individually and collectively.” Should the museum choose to voluntarily recognize the union, SAMWU could avoid undergoing the National Labor Relations Board’s formal election process.
The union urged the museum to respect their organizing efforts without resorting to “intimidation or coercion,” and requested the museum abstain from distributing anti-union materials, hiring anti-union lawyers, or holding compulsory anti-union meetings. SAMWU has yet to respond to Hyperallergic’s request for further comments.
