Seattle Art Museum workers organize

SAM could soon be a fully-organized museum, with all non-supervisory staff benefitting from union representation

SEATTLE, WA (May 14, 2026) — More than 100 workers at the Seattle Art Museum announced their organizing campaign out front of the museum in Downtown Seattle on Wednesday, joined by fellow museum workers and the broader labor community. They’re publicly launching their union with supermajority support among SAM employees, per SAM Workers United.

Workers are seeking voluntary recognition of their union, giving SAM management until May 27 to respond to their request. Determined to win their union, workers have filed for a National Labor Relations Board election as well. They’re willing to withdraw that election petition if SAM recognizes the union promptly.

A variety of workplace concerns inspired workers to organize, including the need to improve wages and benefits, and strengthen job security. Workers also want to see greater transparency and accountability from leadership. They’re not the first to organize at SAM over working conditions; security officers formed independent union SAM VSO in May of 2022, successfully striking for 12 days in late 2024 to restore retirement benefits.

WSLC President April Sims speaks to SAM Workers United members and supporters. Photo: WFSE/AFSCME Council 28

With SAM Workers United and SAM VSO, all non-supervisory staff at the museum would have union representation. At Wednesday’s campaign launch, SAM VSO member shared their support for their coworkers organizing efforts, a powerful display of solidarity among the workers whose labor makes SAM run.

SAM Workers United is part of the Washington Federation of State Employees/AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE). Workers at the Tacoma Art Museum organized with the union in 2023, part of a wave of cultural workers seeking to collectively bargain working conditions. Nationally, AFSCME represents more than 10,000 museum and cultural workers.

Washington State Labor Council President April Sims joined SAM workers and allies to share the Labor Council’s support for the organizing campaign and uplift the value union representation brings to the entire institution.

“Working people across this country are organizing at historic levels because they are tired of being left out of decisions that impact their lives,” said Sims. “Workers are reclaiming their voices and building workplaces where people are respected, protected, and heard. And let’s be clear: unions make institutions better. When workers have a voice, workplaces are stronger, communities are stronger, and institutions are more accountable to the people who make them run every day.”

Sims also urged SAM to honor the workers’ desire to unionize, calling on leadership to “voluntarily recognize SAM Workers United and begin the process of building a fairer future together.”