Woodland Park Zoo workers prepare for possible strike amid contract negotiations

TACOMA, Wash. — Hundreds of Woodland Park Zoo workers are preparing for a possible strike as union leaders and the zoo has only a few days left to reach a new contract agreement.

The Coalition of Unions, a collective of different unions that represent workers like technicians, maintenance, carpenters, zoo keepers, etc., and the zoo have one more bargaining session left on Friday, August 9th, according to a spokesperson for Teamsters Local Union 117.

If both sides cannot reach an agreement, 200 workers would possibly go on strike, leaving only a skeleton crew to care for the animals. However, the union would require the zoo to close its doors to the general public during this time in order to keep the animals safe, officials said.

“We would never in a million years do anything that would harm any of the animals here. In fact, that is why we’re so concerned about this because of the loss of expertise,” said Janel Kempf, learning coordinator at the zoo.

Negotiations around a new contract have been ongoing for the last 10 months.

Leaders of the coalition of unions said workers are growing frustrated with the current working conditions.

Workers said low wages, the high cost of healthcare, low morale and high turnover have put the zoo’s AZA accreditation at risk. If the zoo loses its status, this could cripple the zoo’s resources and force the zoo to ship its animals to other AZA accredited facilities, Kempf said.

“Conditions for working at the zoo right now, as they are, is causing us to lose many many many staff,” said Kempf. “We’re losing staff right and left who have multiple decades of experience.”

“Very concerned for the animals,” she added.

If a new contract isn’t reached by Friday, a possible vote to authorize a strike could happen as early as next week, said Kempf.

KIRO 7 News reached out to the Woodland Park Zoo to get its response. A spokesperson shared the following statement with us:

“Woodland Park Zoo is currently negotiating a Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Joint Crafts Council regarding our represented staff. The zoo continues to bargain in good faith and comes to the table with good intentions. The next meeting between the zoo and the Joint Crafts Council is scheduled for Friday, August 9. We share their values of fair wages and are eager to reach an agreement.”

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