SAM workers win their union

Workers at the largest art museum in Washington state overwhelmingly vote to unionize with AFSCME Council 28

SEATTLE, WA (June 24, 2026) — Seattle Art Museum workers won their union in a landslide last week, with 94% voting to form SAM Workers United, with WFSE/AFSCME Council 28. Together with their security officer coworkers organized in independent union SAM VSO, all non-supervisory staff at the museum now have union representation, a significant milestone for one of Seattle’s most prominent cultural institutions.

In a statement from the union, workers celebrated the resounding win and the worker power that made it possible.

“We owe this victory to our collective resolve,” said Drew Davis, SAMWU member and Art Handler and Preparator. “We are determined to make the museum better for everyone, inside and out.”

Photo: WFSE

“Our experience is indispensable to making this institution run, and with that expertise, we’ll nurture SAM into an encompassing hub for art and culture,” said Davis. “This is not only an achievement for the workers at SAM, but it’s also an important victory ensuring future Seattleites can experience life-affirming art in this city.”

With the momentum of an organizing win at their backs, workers are now urging SAM management to immediately come to the table and negotiate a first collective bargaining agreement. When they announced their campaign for union recognition, workers shared they were motivated to organize to improve wages and benefits, strengthen job security, and gain greater transparency and accountability from leadership.

Speaking at the workers’ union campaign launch in May, Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO president April Sims laid out why bargaining over these issues is so important for both museum workers and guests.

“Let’s be clear: unions make institutions better,” said Sims. “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.”

TAKE A STAND: Support the workers by sending an email to museum management urging them to negotiate a fair collective bargaining agreement with SAM workers.