The Walrus and the Carpenter closes amid ongoing labor strike

Source: myballard

06/23/2026 by Meghan Walker

The Walrus and the Carpenter (4743 Ballard Ave. NW) closed Monday evening after management cited safety concerns amid an ongoing labor strike outside the Ballard restaurant.

In a statement released Monday, June 22, the restaurant said it closed “out of concern for the safety and wellbeing of our guests.”

The restaurant said its security team documented incidents over the previous two days involving guests as they arrived, including “harassment, name-calling, and spitting.” Management urged the union “to stop this behavior on the picket line” and said that, after consulting with its security team, it decided to close for the evening.

Snip: According to United Creatures of the Sea, the union representing striking workers at The Walrus and the Carpenter, employees voted unanimously to authorize the strike after more than a year of negotiations over a first union contract with Sea Creatures, the Seattle restaurant group operated by chef Renee Erickson and partners. The union alleges that Sea Creatures has engaged in unfair labor practices intended to delay negotiations and avoid reaching a first contract. According to previous reporting by The Seattle Times, the union has filed unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board making those allegations.



Read more: https://www.myballard.com/2026/06/23/the-walrus-and-the-carpenter-closes-amid-ongoing-labor-strike/