Seattle Art Museum Security Guards Conclude 12-Day Strike
**Seattle Art Museum Security Guards Secure Landmark Union Agreement After Strike**
In a significant development for labor rights in the arts sector, security guards at the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) have reached a historic union agreement with the institution, ending a 12-day strike and over two years of negotiations. The deal represents a critical step forward in securing improved wages, retirement benefits, and overall working conditions for the 59 members of the SAM Visitor Service Officer (VSO) Union.
### Key Wins for Workers
Under the newly ratified contract, SAM’s base wages for security guards will increase from $21.68 to $24.18 per hour, marking a 37% increase since union organizing efforts began in 2021. These raises will take effect in January, reflecting the workers’ demand for fair compensation in a city where the cost of living remains one of the highest in the United States. By comparison, Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Living Wage Calculator estimates that a single adult in Seattle needs to earn $28.70 per hour to meet basic living expenses, a figure that underscores the enduring challenges ahead.
Additionally, the contract restores pre-pandemic employer 403(b) retirement contributions, which will start at 1% and increase to 3% after three years. This restored benefit is significant not only for VSO Union members but also for all SAM staff as the museum extended the retirement contributions to its broader workforce.
The agreement also includes a union security clause ensuring all new security hires must join the union, a provision that will strengthen the union’s position in future negotiations. This achievement, coupled with an expanded guarantee of health benefits, exemplifies how collective action can yield systemic improvements in workplace conditions.
### A Long Road to Change
The road to this deal has been long and arduous, with workers forming the SAM VSO Union in 2021 and encountering over two years of stalled negotiations. During this time, members consistently advocated for equitable pay, seniority benefits, and enhanced healthcare coverage—demands they say were long overdue.
“When there was no further movement that was going to happen in the bargaining room is when we had to take it to the streets,” said Andi Berkbigler, a security guard of over five years.
The strike—which began on November 29, 2023—sparked widespread public awareness and support for the workers’ cause. During the strike, SAM VSO Union raised over $28,000 through a GoFundMe campaign to support its members, an effort that not only provided immediate aid but also symbolized the solidarity among arts workers and communities in Seattle.
### Broader Context: Challenges in the Arts Sector
The SAM strike and eventual settlement highlight ongoing disparities in the arts and cultural sector, where employees often face low wages and inadequate benefits despite working in prestigious institutions. Critics note that museums, which frequently receive donations in the millions and public funding, should lead by example in providing fair treatment for their workers.
SAM itself faced scrutiny during the pandemic when it furloughed part-time visitor service staff despite receiving nearly $5 million in Paycheck Protection Program loans. These actions were seen by many as emblematic of broader inequities in the industry, where lower-paid workers often bear the brunt of financial turmoil.
In 2021, SAM’s security officers organized not only for workplace improvements but also as advocates for social justice. The group’s formation was galvanized by the museum’s plans to install deterrent bollards designed to reduce the presence of unhoused individuals near the museum. These security guards, through their predecessor organization SAM Workers Collective, condemned the measure as “hostile architecture” and gathered 600 petition signatures in opposition, though their efforts ultimately did not halt the plan.
### A Step Forward, But Challenges Remain
Despite significant victories, union members acknowledge that the new contract falls short of achieving a fully livable wage or seniority pay, two key demands that were not fully met. According to Berkbigler, “It’s a mix of emotions. I was a little stunned that anything could happen after all this time.”
Nevertheless, securing this inaugural union contract marks a transformative moment for SAM security guards. With the bargaining unit now officially established as a “union shop,” the VSOs are poised to build on this momentum in future negotiations and further advance worker protections.
### Broader Implications for Labor Rights in the Arts
The SAM VSO Union’s success serves as a case study in the power of collective organizing within the arts sector. Their campaign resonates with a larger movement among arts and cultural workers across the U.S. who are increasingly unionizing to demand fair wages, improved benefits, and a voice in institutional decision-making.
“The achievements won here are not just for us—they’re part of a broader effort to bring equity and fairness to this sector,” said Josh Davis, a SAM security guard of 11 years, in a statement leading up to the strike.
The story of SAM’s security guards reflects a growing recognition that the