Workers at Woodland Park Zoo vote to rafity new contract

SEATTLE — Approximately 200 workers at Woodland Park Zoo, who are members of the Joint Crafts Council (JCC) Coalition of Unions, have voted to ratify a new 3-year labor agreement.

Negotiations between the Coalition of Unions and the Zoo took place over ten months before the parties reached a tentative agreement.

Negotiations centered on key issues, including affordable healthcare, equitable wages, and the long-term well-being of the animals.

The union had previously signaled the possibility of a strike if their demands were not met.

According to the union, workers voted to approve the proposal by a more than 95% margin.

“We’re feeling great,” said Janel Kempf, a learning coordinator in the news release. Kempf is the shop steward and negotiations committee member who has worked at the Zoo for 25 years.

“We’ve made great strides on wages, getting much closer to market value. It’s exciting that we now have a contract that finally recognizes workers with decades of experience, which we did not have previously. I’m also excited about putting a cap on increases to our healthcare costs. This will pay dividends for years to come.”

The JCC Coalition of Unions represents 34 different classifications of zoo workers, including animal keepers, veterinary technicians, carpenters, and laborers.

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