For more than 18 months, PROTEC17 has been bargaining with Sound Transit to establish a first contract for exempt workers, and to integrate newly certified groups into an existing non-exempt collective bargaining agreement alongside PROTEC17 Passenger Information Coordinators (PICs).
PICs first organized with PROTEC17 in 2024, and ratified the first PROTEC17 contract with the agency in 2025. But Sound Transit employees who’ve joined PROTEC17 since that time have been faced with numerous challenges and bad faith bargaining from the agency.
In March, merit raises were withheld from unionizing workers while non-union staff received their raises. PROTEC17- represented employees are also being mandated to return to office (RTO) despite the fact that an agreement has not been reached on this issue, which has been a priority in negotiations. In addition, unionizing workers have also been facing retaliation for organizing and participating in union activity. PROTEC17 has filed multiple unfair labor practice (ULPs) complaints against the agency.
This fall, members are showing their solidarity and stepping up their actions to show the agency that they are not backing down. In September, members launched Union Pride Day, where they don their union swag in a show of unity. They also have an ongoing presence at Sound Transit Board meetings where some members give public testimony, and others fill the public chamber and hold their placards demanding a ‘fair contract now’. Their priority issues are fair pay; for agency leadership to honor their commitments on remote work; and to prioritize in-house staffing and minimize the use of more expensive contractors.
PROTEC17 members and the public can show support for our Sound Transit siblings by signing the petition here: actionnetwork.org/petitions/transit-riders-4-transit-workers.