Nascent New Museum Union Threatens Strike

Photo: Eddie Panta

Despite months of negotiating, the New Museum and its employees seem to be at a stalemate when it comes to contract provisions.

Last week, members of the recently formed New Museum Union voted 96% in favor of striking if an agreement could not be reached regarding fair wages, health benefits, seniority rights, and overtime. Low pay is one of the recurring universal complaints, given the high executive salaries and the Museum’s $89 million expansion endeavour.

“Unfortunately, the Museum’s position has been overwhelmingly at odds with both the needs of its employees and its own mission statement: they have disparaged our proposals for equitable salaries, health coverage for all workers, and necessary union rights,” said Liz Mahan, a Visitor Services Associate at the Museum and a member of the Union’s bargaining committee.

The timeframe for all of this is still ambiguous, but if the proverbial feet continue to drag on said proposals, the bargaining committee will set a strike deadline; if a contract is not settled by the strike deadline, the New Museum Union will go on strike. Bargaining was anticipated to continue throughout last weekend.