Workers all over the Pacific Northwest are fighting for more pay and safety measures as vacancies are up after the pandemic. There are shortages in lifeguards to keep every beach and pool open. There are not enough mechanics to maintain the city’s vehicle fleets nor enough IT professionals to address tech issues. There are 11 unions representing almost 6,000 city workers. They are bargaining for new three-year contracts.
Pay is not bad in the city but the cost of living is. City worker wages vary widely. Data from the city shows hourly wage positions start at $18.69 per hour and top out at $61.86, depending on the role. A coalition of workers is asking for a 9.2% raise across the board. City workers are planning to rally outside of City Hall on the afternoon of Sept. 19 in an effort to garner public support.
It is about money and safety. Workers say the turnover and vacancies are rooted in pay and safety issues. Data shows turnover and vacancies in departments across the city between Jan. 1, 2020 and Aug. 17, 2022. In that time, Seattle Public Utilities had 113 employees retire and 216 terminations, which includes people who either quit or got fired.
By the numbers as of August 2022, the department had 171 vacancies out of 1,485 positions funded in the 2022 budget. At City Light, 169 workers retired in that period and 266 quit or were fired. The department had 287 vacancies in August 2022 out of 1,808 budgeted positions. Parks and Recreation had 72 retirements, 401 terminations and 137 vacancies out of 1,026 positions.
Nearly 6,000 City of Seattle employees in 11 unions are bargaining with the city over their next three-year contracts. Those workers are represented by AFSCME Council 2, Boilermakers Local 104, IAM District 160, IATSE Local 15, IBEW Local 46, LiUNA Local 242, PROTEC17, Seattle Dispatchers Guild, Sheet Metal Workers Local 66 Teamsters 117 and Teamsters 763.
Mayor’s Office spokesperson Jamie Housen said , “The mayor continues to express his urgent and good faith commitment to getting a deal done and raising wages for City workers. Despite forecasts showing significant future revenue gaps, our approach will continue to be rooted in our values that every worker deserves a living wage and our gratitude for City employees and the service they provide to Seattle neighbors.”
