SAM VSO Union

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SAM VSO Union

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Seattle Art Museum VSOs Independent Labor Union

10/07/2026

Happy scary season, we’re so excited to announce our third annual Halloween fundraiser event, Solidarity is Not Scary, at parnassusproject (BaseCamp) on October 23rd from 6-9pm! As in previous years, this event will have an art auction featuring art donated by SAM VSOs, with the addition this year of other SAM staff (who just this year won union recognition as Seattle Art Museum Workers United, affiliated with AFSCME Council 28 WFSE).

Fundraising this year will be going two places. The majority (80% after event costs) will go towards building up the VSO strike fund and paying off legal fees. However, it’s still really important to our members to support other grassroots organizations doing important work in the community, so a portion (20% after event costs) will be going to the local King County Immigrants Rights Alliance (KCIRA)! SAM VSO union stands in solidarity with migrants under attack by ICE / the Trump administration, and we are proud to partner with KCIRA this year. You can donate right now by heading to the link in our bio!

09/07/2026

Last Monday, SAM VSO and Neumos Security Union workers mobilized to support Unite Here Local 8 workers who have been on strike for 80 days now. These workers need the support of the community to win, and so on this we are calling for donations to their strike fund! If you can afford it, head to the link in our bio and help these workers keep fighting u til they get a fair contract!

06/22/2026

SAM VSO Union stands in solidarity with United Creatures of the Sea ! The workers at Renee Erickson ‘s restaurants are on strike since Thursday, because Renee and management are not playing fair: there have been delays, ULP charges and more. These workers are also in an independent union, and so they need your support on the picket line (every day at 4pm!) and donations to their strike fund (link in their bio) We highly encourage our supporters to show up for them!

04/30/2026

Join us May 18th for “Who Profits from our Nonprofits?” A participatory research skills workshop put together by local cultural and nonprofit workers. Organizing in the nonprofit space can be difficult to navigate. That’s why we are hosting an event where art and cultural workers will be showing crucial skills for organizing in a nonprofit space. You’ll learn about successful local organizing examples as well as an opportunity to practice research skills with organizers present.
Come and meet fellow workers who are also invested in improving their workplaces! It is through worker solidarity and sharing our skills that we can all rise together to make the places we work reflect and benefit the people who make them run!
Monday May 18, 6pm-8pm RSVP link in bio

03/18/2026

STATEMENT OF SOLIDARITY WITH WORKERS

We, the Security workers from Seattle Art Museum, united as the SAM VSO Union express solidarity and sadness at the recent sudden layoffs affecting frontline and other departments at the Pacific Science Center. Our workers know from experience that when making budgets, the C-suite and Board of Trustees of cultural institutions often do not weigh the human cost as heavily when deciding where they should make cuts to save costs.

Through our unionization, we won a contract that lays out a clear path for workers to have a united, powerful voice in bargaining if layoffs were to occur at our institution. The contract also includes a 60-day requirement of advance notice from the employer in the case of layoffs. A union also provides a foundation for collective action when events like these occur.

SAM VSO Union believes that increasing union density in cultural institutions will ensure the sector has strong representation of workers’ voices at these institutions. This increase in workplace democracy will improve our cultural institutions and make them even more effective in our communities. Solidarity Forever with all cultural workers!

02/22/2026

Next Monday, March 2nd from 6-8pm there will be a meet-up of Pacific Northwest cultural workers to talk about ICE, labor organizing, and other political issues affecting arts and culture organizations in this moment. Please join us for discussion, snacks, and to add your input about what you would like to see changed in local cultural institutions! RSVP link in bio

12/19/2025

PNW CULTURAL WORKERS STAND WITH STARBUCKS WORKERS

Yesterday, Starbucks Workers announced “Camp Contract”, a 24/7 picket line at Starbucks S**o Corporate HQ. This comes after over a month of unfair labor practice strikes, and years of bargaining.

Next Monday December 22nd, a group of PNW Cultural Workers will join SBWU at Camp Contract(Starbucks corporate HQ in S**O) from Noon to 4pm. We will be walking the picket line, making labor-themed Christmas ornaments and more, and we would love for you (and any cultural workers you know) to join us! Please RSVP to the link in our bio tinyurl.com/artforsbwu to get more info!

SBWU Background:
Over one thousand union baristas kicked off the “Red Cup Rebellion” unfair labor practice strike on Thursday, Nov. 13 of this year, protesting Starbucks’ historic union busting and failure to finalize a fair union contract. The open-ended strike comes after six months of Starbucks refusing to offer new proposals to address workers’ demands for better staffing, higher pay, and resolution for hundreds of unfair labor practice charges.

11/29/2025

One year ago today, on Nov. 29, 2024, the security guards at the Seattle Art Museum walked off the job after nearly two and a half years of attempts to negotiate a fair contract. For years, many of us had devoted our days to welcoming visitors and protecting priceless art, yet continued to live with low pay, disappearing retirement benefits, and no real protections for long‑term staff.

After an 89% approval to strike we united and walked out. We knew it meant standing outside in the cold, but our mission was worth it. We made signs, chanted, rallied, all to remind the museum that art isn’t just about paintings or sculptures, it’s also about the people who make the museum what it is.

On Dec. 12th, 2024, we finally made a breakthrough and reached a contract with SAM. While we didn’t get everything we wanted, and the push for improvements is far from over, we came out on top with several wins including the reinstatement of our retirement benefits, increased wages into 2027, a shoe stipend, progressive discipline policy, and a closed-shop for new hires.

Our hard-fought contract continues to mark a turning point; it proves what can happen when people come together, when people support and stick up for one another. When we don’t back down and we don’t take no for an answer, we win.

We live in a world where hardworking people are increasingly being silenced, attempts for positive workplace changes being grounded, and the average individual being conned into accepting mediocrity by entities and corporations more than wealthy enough to compensate them fairly. The success of our strike and our subsequent contract serve as a beacon of hope for others just like us, who yearn for and deserve BETTER.

We fought hard and we won.

One year later, we remember, and we celebrate.

11/25/2025

Thank you to all who supported us during our 2nd annual Solidarity is Not Scary II fundraiser. You raised $2,426 for Zaytoon UW and La Resistencia NW. You can always support them directly if you missed this chance. Thanks to all the artists who donated their art for this cause. Find out more about them on the tags. Thanks to all the organizations who came to support. End the Palestinian genocide. Nobody is illegal.

10/23/2025

Halloween is extended to Nov 7th this year! SAM VSO Union is holding our second annual Halloween fundraiser event “Solidarity is Not Scary” at the Hotel Crocodile on November 7th, starting at 6pm. Last year, the event was a chance for us to raise funds to build up our strike fund in anticipation of our strike. This year, as we are in a non-contract bargaining phase, we are instead raising funds for other grassroots organizations doing important work in the community. We are partnering two great organizations: 1st , a grassroots, undocumented-led movement that works to end the detention of immigrants and stop all deportations. 2nd is , a Palestinian-led Student organization at the University of Washington fostering collaboration and community building, currently raising funds for scholarship and relocation for displaced Gazan Students. SAM VSO Union stands in proud solidarity with migrants under attack by the Trump administration, and the Palestinian people’s struggle against Israel’s ongoing genocide.

The event will have an art auction to raise funds for these organizations, as well as DJs and speakers from local community organizations, to help build solidarity in these essential campaigns. If you are interested in contributing art to be auctioned, please send an email to [email protected]. Head to the link in bio to RSVP, or donate if you can’t make it. Solidarity is not Scary (for the working class)!

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Seattle, WA

Website

http://samvsounion.org/

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