Seattle Art Museum Staff Seek Union Recognition

Over 100 employees at the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) have announced plans to unionize as Seattle Art Museum Workers United (SAMWU), affiliated with Washington Federation of State Employees/AFSCME Council 28. In a May 13 letter to Director and CEO Scott Stulen and the board, 59 current staff from departments including visitor experience, collections care, curatorial, events, and education requested voluntary recognition by May 27. The letter cites unsustainable wages, subpar health benefits, and top-down decision-making, and calls for just-cause job protections. SAMWU acknowledges the museum's unionized security guards, who staged a 12-day strike in 2024. Stulen confirmed receipt of the letter and stated support for employees' rights. Voluntary recognition would bypass a National Labor Relations Board election. The union asked the museum to refrain from anti-union activities.