SAM VSO Union is an independent, worker-led union established in 2022
“SAM VSO Union was founded on direct workplace action, with the mission of influencing SAM’s practices to be in line with its stated progressive values”
In May of 2021 (the height of the COVID-19 pandemic), members of the SAM’s Gallery Security team became aware of a plan by SAM’s upper management to institute a new policy of hostile deterrence towards unhoused individuals living and sleeping near the museum’s downtown location. As part of this deterrence policy, the museum planned to hire exterior building security, and install hostile architecture. A chunk of the SAM Gallery Security team (aka VSOs, or Visitor Service Officers) felt this policy would be unethical and had the potential to result in violence against the unhoused individuals living outside the museum. These concerned security staff formed an impromptu collective called SAM Workers, with the mission of preventing the implementation of this policy.
May 2021 - Holding SAM Accountable to its stated progressive values
In response, SAM Workers Collective made a plan to create a petition to attempt to build community support and pressure to prevent the museum from adopting this unethical policy. In June of 2021, the SAM Workers launched the print and online petition entitled “Keep SAM's Unhoused Neighbors Safe”.
Original Petition on iPetitions
The petition gathered over 600 community signatures. Despite community opposition, museum management carried out its plans and hired external building security contractors anyway.
June 2021 - Direct Workplace Action
Sept 2021 - Violence and Assault on SAM management’s Hands
In late August 2021, SAM’s upper management hired private contract security company Star Protection Agency to provide exterior building Security services at the Downtown Seattle Art Museum location.
Hyperallergic - Coverage of Petition and incident of violence
Within 2 weeks of this hiring, the SAM Workers Collective’s worst fear came true. A Star Security employee committed gross misconduct, and paid an unhoused man to rob an unhoused woman on SAM property. This Star Security employee also filmed the robbery and texted another Star Security employee about it.
SAM Workers collective was able to get ahold of the text message records, and emailed SAM upper management notifying them of the incident. SAM then terminated its contract with Star Security Services.
January 2022 - Union goes public, overcoming more obstacles
SAM VSO Union went public and filed union “cards” in January 2022. The VSOs originally planned to affiliate with IUPAT Local 116, however, they were blocked by a law forbidding the NLRB from certifying unions that include both security workers and non-security workers (more info on that here). In order to join IUPAT the union required SAM management to voluntarily recognize the union. When SAM management refused voluntary recognition, the workers were left with a choice:
go independent, or give up the union fight entirely?
The workers chose to go independent, and in March of 2022, formed SAM VSO Union.
Facing increased management scrutiny after the petition was made public, and disheartened that museum management had refused to listen to worker and community requests, the members of SAM Workers knew forming a union was the only chance to make their voices heard.
When union organizing began, there were several major non-wage-related concerns for VSOs:
JOB SECURITY
Management’s willingness to hire private contractors showed that the VSOs lacked long-term job security, and that they could be replaced at any time because there was no employment contract and VSOs were only employed by SAM on an “at-will” basis.
A VOICE IN THE WORKPLACE
After years of voicing workplace concerns and suggestions through the “proper” management channels, including a special VSO Advisory committee created by management, VSOs felt their voices were not being heard, and they knew building power with a union was the only way to make the changes needed at SAM.
Oct 2021 - Union Time
December 2021 - Raises. because “you don’t need a union”
LOW WAGES
But of course, wages are a huge part of what was needed to make sustainable and equitable security department. VSOs have long struggled to survive in the rapidly growing and inflating Seattle economy. In 2021 a worker has to earn $ 30.75/hr to afford a fair market price one bedroom in King County (Info from National Low Income Housing Coalition)
As the petition built pressure on upper management and the early union organizing heated up the workplace, management gave big raises to the VSOs. In December of 2021 VSO wages went from
VSO 1: $17.69 to $20.44
VSO 2: $18.44 to $22.07
VSO 3: $19.19 to $23.84
VSO Supervisor: $22.44 to $27.81
May 2022 - A Different Type of Security Union
Inspired in part by the Art Workers Union at the Frye Museum in Seattle, the VSOs decided to form an entirely independent union, made up of only the SAM VSO workers, leading themselves. Going independent allowed greater freedom, and to found the group on a progressive platform.
SAM VSO Union is committed to pursuing greater wages, protections, and benefits for its workers, while also pressuring the museum to live up to its stated values of progressivism and community service.
August 2022 til now - Bargaining!
Our union began bargaining in August of 2022, and it has continued since then. We have had some exciting moments and wins since then.
SAM put into place an internship program for workers in our dept who are looking to move to other museum departments, something that had been a VSO request since the VSO advisory committee.
On Labor Day 2023, the VSOs came together to hold a successful informational picket, letting the public know on labor day that there is ongoing contract struggle at the museum.