In the last year alone, we have seen PROTEC17 members take on challenges at work in big ways – shutting down 5th Avenue in downtown Seattle for better wages and respect; mobilizing to save King County Public Health clinics from closure; pushing back against privatization efforts in Spokane; taking the fight for a fair contract to Snohomish County Council; walking off the job and rallying in solidarity for fair wages in State employment; and working across employers to fight return-to-office mandates, to name just a few.
Because of the visibility of these actions and wins, we have seen a huge increase in the number of unrepresented workers reaching out to join PROTEC17. Non-union workers are seeing the difference that having a union in the workplace makes.
In addition to the actions across our union, nearly 450 members have engaged in union trainings to learn how to support and organize their colleagues in their workplaces, and more than 65 new Stewards have joined the ranks of front-line leaders and advocates on the job for their co-workers. Thanks to these members who have stepped up to take on leadership roles, we are excited to welcome more than 260 new members to our union over the last year.
At King County, Business Systems Analysts in KCIT, Executive Services, DCHS, Judicial, and Elections have joined PROTEC17 within the last year, as have Project/Program Managers, Grant Analysts, and Functional Analysts in the Department of Natural Resource and Parks and Transit Finance and Administrative Services.
The City of Seattle – our union’s largest Chapter – continues to grow as well. This year, we’ve welcomed members from 10 departments and many different classifications. These include: Strategic Advisors in the Office of Economic Development; P&D Supervisors in SPU; 911 Dispatcher Managers in CARE; Strategic Advisors and Administrative staff in the Budget Office; Strategic Advisors and Communications staff in the Legislative Department; Training and Education Coordinators and Seniors in the Human Services Department; Management Systems Analysts in City Light; Probation Supervisors at Municipal Court; Information Specialists, Administrative staff, and Supervisors in the City Clerk’s Office; and all staff in the Office of Arts and Culture.
At Sound Transit – one of our newest employers – we’ve organized Security Operations Center Superintendents, Field Activity Specialists, and Public Information Coordinators.
“It’s empowering to have a voice in the decisions that affect my working conditions and livelihood, and to do it in community with my fellow workers,” said Sarah Burtner who is a new member organizing in the Seattle Budget Office. “I feel more confident about my work and more connected to my colleagues than I ever have, and I am looking forward to our shared efforts to keep supporting each other and improving our workplace.”
The mission of our Organizing department is to maintain, grow, and strengthen the power of our union through strategic campaigns to increase our density internally, and externally in our industries. If you have unrepresented colleagues who are interested in joining our union, please reach out to Organizing Director Jessica Olivas at .