Seattle Art Museum Workers Announce Unionisation Effort

Workers at the Seattle Art Museum have announced their intention to unionise as SAM Workers United in affiliation with the Washington Federation of State Employees / AFSCME Council 28.

Around 140 workers across departments publicly launched the union campaign on 13 May 2026, delivering a letter to museum leadership and the Board of Trustees requesting voluntary recognition. Workers also confirmed they had filed for a National Labor Relations Board election, which would proceed if recognition is not granted.

In their public statement, organisers described the campaign as part of a broader effort to improve working conditions within the museum and address long-standing structural issues affecting workers across the institution. Concerns raised include wages, healthcare benefits, workplace transparency, retention, and top-down decision-making processes.

The union is calling for sustainable pay, stronger workplace protections, improved benefits, and more collaborative internal governance structures. Workers also urged museum leadership to respect the organising process and avoid anti-union tactics during the campaign.

Following the announcement, workers held a press conference outside the museum joined by labour organisers and members of Tacoma Art Museum Workers United. April Sims, President of the Washington State Labor Council, spoke at the event in support of the campaign.

According to organisers, SAM Workers United currently has support from a strong supermajority of eligible workers.

The campaign joins a wider movement of unionisation across arts and cultural institutions in the United States through AFSCME’s Cultural Workers United initiative. Organisers also referenced existing union efforts within the museum, including previously unionised security staff at SAM.

Workers involved in the campaign shared that unionising is motivated by a desire for greater stability, stronger protections, and a more equitable workplace culture within the institution.

More information about the campaign can be found via Seattle Art Museum Workers United.

Photo: “Settle Art Museum” by ctj71081, CC BY-SA 2.0