Worker-led Independent Labor Union at Seattle Art Museum
Employers and elected leaders did not implement the five-day workweek out of the goodness of their hearts. Rather, workers and their unions have agitated, performed direct workplace action, lobbied, organized, struck and voted for centuries to win living wages, health insurance, and more.
“SAM VSO UNION WAS ESTABLISHED MAY 31st, 2022”
Recognized via NLRB election with a vote of 38 to 4, SAM VSO Union’s mission is to continue Labor Union history by carrying out class struggle to win livable wages, improved benefits, and stronger protections for the gallery guards at SAM. We are a union made up of artists and creative people committed to using our influence to help Seattle Art Museum pursue its stated values of community service and equity. In addition, we are invested in supporting the larger labor movement and stand in solidarity with all workers organizing to win better conditions and quality of life.
SIGN OUR PETITION!
Help us show the museum that the community supports our fight for a better quality of life for Seattle workers.
How is bargaining progressing?
Check out our blog page to read the latest updates from the bargaining room and beyond!
Our Union History
is short (we started in 2021!), but we’re proud of it. It involves our origins in direct workplace action, and continues currently with the fight for our first contract. Check out our story in more depth below:
Our union is independent, so until we reach our first contract all of our funding is from donations. This is because union dues are not collected until after the first contract is finished. We are proud to have raised (as of 10/11/23) over 16k dollars via completely grassroots means, but we have already spent it all (and more) on legal funds. If you have the means, donating to our gofundme allows us to have more time consulting with our legal team.