Neumos Workers United
Organizing for better working conditions in Seattle’s legendary music venue
Basebuilding
The campaign started by bringing people into the base. We held a Restaurant Worker Basebuilding Drive in June and July of 2024, followed by issue identification with workers and an eventual legal intake with Working Washington Rights Center.
Leadership Development
Neumos worker leaders grew their organizing power throughout the campaign. Workers made public comments to the King County Board of Health, learned about their rights during a Paystub Workshop (way less boring than it sounds), and led a Tax The Rich media action.
Neumos Organizing Committee
After conversations with coworkers about organizing, workers formed an organizing committee. Together, they researched industry standards, staff needs, and the company’s power structure. The committee then drafted a Letter of Demands.
External Pressure and Solidarity
Workers launched a public campaign on May Day and received an outpouring of support from artists and the local community.
What Neumos Workers Won
Workers won many of their demands, including a clock in/out system for all shifts and positions, work equipment like flashlights and radio earpieces, and an increased pay scale. In addition, missing pay was recovered by employees, the gender pay gap for Security Lead roles was closed, and three training shifts for new security staff were implemented before being positioned alone.
More than that: workers have an organizing orientation now, and see what is possible through collective action. This will be vital in the fights ahead.
“It is not only our right to take collective action, it is also our obligation.”
