Unionized security officers working in the Seattle area have authorized a strike over wage disputes.
SEATTLE — Nearly 5,000 security officers across King County — stationed at the airport, on public transit, and in local tech companies — are preparing for a possible strike, according to their union.
Leaders of SEIU6, the union representing the workers, warn that a strike could have serious consequences for public safety, particularly on Seattle-area transit systems.
“It’s workers that kind of go unnoticed, right? And unseen… until you need them,” said Greg Ramirez, deputy director of SEIU6.
Ramirez said officers’ responsibilities go beyond monitoring, often putting them in the position of de-escalating dangerous situations. He pointed to a deadly incident last December, when Metro bus driver Shawn Yim was fatally stabbed while on duty.
“If one of our folks would have been there…” Ramirez said, adding, “Our members, a lot of times act like first responders.”
At the center of the labor dispute is pay. On Friday, union members unanimously voted to reject the latest employer proposal, which included a 30-cent raise in the first year.
“That’s not even a 1.5% increase,” Ramirez said.
The median salary for a security officer in King County is less than $55,000, according to a bargaining survey by SEIU6. Union officials note that local living costs far exceed that.
“You need to make $92,000 in King County to have a one-bedroom apartment,” Ramirez said, referring to the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s 2024 Out of Reach report.
At SEIU6 headquarters, members wrote messages on a whiteboard explaining their “no” vote. One read, “I put my life on the line every day and my pay should reflect that.” Another said, “I vote no to support my sisters and brothers.”
PalAmerican, one of seven employers in contract talks with the union, provides security services for King County Metro and Sound Transit. Ramirez said public transit riders should be concerned about the potential fallout if an agreement isn’t reached.
PalAmerican has not yet not responded to KING 5’s request for comment. On its website, CEO Ashley Cooper states that the company’s “employees are at the heart of [their] success.”
Ramirez said the union and employers are scheduled to return to the bargaining table Sept. 18.
“We’re looking to get back to the table at least by then, if not sooner,” he said. “But again, if those talks are not fruitful… then the next step is having a strike at the end of this month.”
The implications, Ramirez warned, would be immediate.
“It’s really about what it would mean to not have security throughout King County,” he said. “If those folks aren’t on the job, it’s going to have a real impact.”
