KING COUNTY, Wash. — Nearly 5,000 security officers who protect transit centers, tech campuses, and hospitals in King County could be going on strike.
On Friday, SEIU6 security officers voted unanimously to reject the latest employer proposal on a new collective bargaining agreement.
The union security officers protect the public as well as properties at sites including Sound Transit, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft.
There are seven companies that are covered by the agreement. KIRO 7 has reached out to them for comment.
The previous agreement expired on August 31.
“The latest proposal fell short of security officers’ needs and expectations in several areas, including transparency around post orders, rules around subcontracting, notifications when AI and automation are being implemented in the workplace, and wages,” the union shared in a news release.
The officers cited wages as the leading reason for voting down the proposal, which outlined a wage increase of only $.30 in the first year.
“The math is not mathing. My rent went up, and now I spend about ¾ of my income just on rent. What is $.30 going to do? Moving is so expensive, it’s like you’re trapped. I work night shift, which is taxing on my body. After my bills, I have about $300 left. Nothing is getting lower, everything is going up. You just spend your time trying to survive,” Ahmed Said shared.
The current median salary for security officers working in King County is under $55,000, according to a bargaining survey by SEIU6.
“I voted no because the raise they offered doesn’t match up with inflation, like groceries and especially gas. I get paid weekly, and my paycheck isn’t enough if I have unexpected priorities, like car maintenance. Pretty soon I will have to change my breaks and it’s going to cost $1,000 or more,” Virgilio Bautista said.
The union told KIRO 7 after they voted to authorize a strike, a new bargaining session was scheduled for September 18.
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