Rantz: Nearly 14,000 union workers file class action lawsuit against Seattle

A class action lawsuit has been filed against the city of Seattle by three unionized workers on behalf of nearly 14,000 employees, according to a joint press release by nine unions.

The lawsuit alleges widespread wage theft following the city of Seattle’s implementation of a new payroll system powered by Workday in September 2024. City of Seattle workers claim they have been underpaid, not paid at all, or had incorrect deductions and benefit accruals due to ongoing payroll errors. The three workers are union members with Professional & Technical Employees Local 17 (PROTEC17), the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 27 (IAFF Local 27) and the Seattle Police Officers Guild (SPOG).

“We’ve been working with the City to correct these wage issues for months and too many employees are still left without answers and without correct pay. PROTEC17 supports the action that these city of Seattle employees and union members have taken to correct this injustice and to ensure that everyone — whether in a union or not — is paid correctly for the important work they do,” PROTEC17 Executive Director Karen Estevenin said in the press release.

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What is alleged in the class action lawsuit against city of Seattle?

The city of Seattle workers argue that Seattle knew or should have known about potential problems, as other governments using Workday, including Maine, Oregon, Baltimore and Los Angeles, have experienced similar issues. The lawsuit seeks to have the City fix or replace Workday, conduct an independent audit of wages, and recover unpaid wages plus damages.

The news of missing wages related to the Seattle Police Department was first reported by “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH. At the time, SPOG President Officer Mike Solan explained that they were exploring possible legal options.

According to multiple Seattle Police sources, city staff weren’t properly trained in the new payroll system, and Workday wasn’t equipped to handle the pay complexities of officers working 24-hour shift cycles.

For the last two years, SPD leadership flagged concerns about Workday’s implementation, warning the Mayor’s office that it would become an inevitable disaster.

The case has been filed in King County Superior Court, with legal representation from Terrell Marshall Law Group PLLC and Bennett Hartman LLP.

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