After more than a year of negotiations with the City of Seattle, the Coalition of City Unions (CCU), led by PROTEC17, reached a tentative agreement (TA) on the 2023-2026 contract on Dec. 14. Seattle members are expected to vote on the contract in early February. 

At times contentious, these negotiations demonstrated the commitment and dedication of the bargaining team and the entire CCU membership to getting a fair and strong contract. 

After receiving an offer of a one percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) early in 2023, members mobilized to express their frustration. From delivering a 50-foot petition with over 6,000 signatures in April, to a letter writing campaign to Seattle City Council members in May, to shutting down 4th Avenue during the ‘Rally 4 #RSPCT’ in September, and holding practice pickets at three locations in November, City workers in the Coalition had a direct and significant impact in moving these negotiations forward.

The tentative agreement (TA) includes a retroactive COLA of five percent for 2023, a 4.5 percent COLA for 2024, and COLAs of a minimum of two percent and a maximum of four percent – depending upon the CPI-W – for 2025 and 2026. 

One of the biggest wins in this agreement is securing market wage adjustments for over 170 PROTEC17 classifications that had been deemed under market. 

Other wins include: an increase in the boot allowance for applicable classifications, additional pay for swing and graveyard shifts, an increase in overtime meal reimbursement, improved vacation accrual and bereavement leave, the creation of a dependent care task force, improvements to the grievance process and contracting out language, and many others. 

Now that a TA has been reached, both the CCU and the City are finalizing all of the documentation in preparation for a vote. If the contract is ratified by members, it will then go to the Seattle City Council for final approval, then retroactive pay will be implemented.  

The CCU represents over 6,000 Seattle city workers from multiple unions, including: PROTEC17, LiUNA/Laborers Local 242, AFSCME Council 2, Local 104, Seattle Dispatchers Guild, Sheet Metal Workers Local 66, IIBEW Local 46, IAM District 160, Teamsters 117, Teamsters 763, IATSE Local 15, Painters/IUPAT District Council 5, IIUOE Local 302, Inlandboatmen’s Union, Court Marshal’s Guild, and UNITE HERE! Local 8. 

The PROTEC17 bargaining team is: Maxwell Branham (SDCI), Rachael Brooks (SCL), Joey Bullock (SDOT), Belinda Chin (Parks), Arabella Corcoro (FAS), Walker Dodson (SCL), Shawn Flue (HSD), Ashley Harrison (OLS), Ulysses Hillard (SPU), Aimee Kimball (SCL), Jessica Ray (SFD), Rob Svetz (SDCI), Ariska Thompson (SPU), and Fabienne Zwerling (SPD).

Thank you to the team and all Seattle members for your tenacity over the last year! It was your commitment and dedication that got us to the finish line! You can learn more about the contract on our website at: protec17.org/member/seattle.