Working Washington is a coalition of unions, faith, and grassroots community groups--an outgrowth of Service Employees International Union Local 775--that seeks to unite working people to fight for a fair economy. They were the organization that organized the campaign of fast food strikes that sparked the fight for the $15 minimum wage in Seattle and helped lead the successful campaign to pass a $15 minimum wage in SeaTac.
Banners, picket signs, placards, flyers, advertisements, posters and stickers from Working Washington's campaigns including efforts to combat wage theft, increase the wage for fast food workers (starting in 2012), involvement in the SeaTac minimum wage campaign 2013-2014, and involvement in the Seattle 15Now minimum wage campaign 2013-2015. Other items include a hand drawn coloring book from SeaTac campaign and "wage theft" mock crime scene tape from the wage theft campaign. As well, this collection contains a t-shirt and sign from the Yes! For SeaTac campaign; a ballot initiative that Working Washington for which part of a coalition for a $15 minimum wage on the SeaTac city ballot. The collection includes banners from marches in Bellevue and Olympia. A component of this accession is born-digital photographs from the campaign and digital captures of the Working Washington website, Facebook Page, Flickr gallery, and YouTube channel.
Forms a part of the Labor Archives of Washington
Open to all users. However, an appointment with the Labor Archives curator is required prior to viewing certain items in the collection. Contact UW Special Collections for more details or to request an appointment.
Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
The Working Washington website has been regularly captured by the Internet Archive Wayback Machine since 2013. The snapshots can be viewed here:
The organization's YouTube and Facebook pages have been regularly captured since 2013. The snapshots can be viewed here:
One demand delivery poster presented to management at SeaTac Airport Menzies Aviation, a provider of cargo handling services, by Menzies employees and Working Washington activists. The digital photo collage has quotes from Menzies employees listing their complaints about their working conditions.
Access by appointment with curator only.
Three copies of "It's Our Airport" King County Metro bus ads created by Working Washington to demand better working conditions at SeaTac Airport. The posters feature Hosea Wilcox, a skycap at SeaTac, and includes the phrases "Make All Airport Jobs Good Jobs" and "First Class", "Coach Class", and "Poverty Class" with images of the airplane seating areas for the first two classes and the image of Wilcox as the "Poverty Class."
Access by appointment with curator only.