Brooklyn Museum workers, union representatives, and City Council members came together for a special oversight hearing at New York City Hall on February 28. The focus of the hearing was the recent announcement of mass layoffs affecting 47 employees at the museum. The unions representing the workers, District Council 37 Local 1502 and UAW Local 2110, have been vocal in their opposition to the staff cuts, citing a $10 million budget shortfall as the reason behind the layoffs.
June Lei, the secretary of Local 1502 and a full-time producer at the Brooklyn Museum, expressed her shock and sadness at the museum’s decision to prioritize budget cuts over its long-standing values. She emphasized the impact of the layoffs on the affected employees, who stand to lose benefits, salaries, pensions, and union membership.
The Committee on Civil Service and Labor, chaired by Council Member Carmen De La Rosa, organized the hearing to assess the fairness of the museum’s actions towards its workers and to review the layoffs in light of the institution’s financial situation. De La Rosa questioned Laurie Cumbo, the commissioner of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, about the city’s expectations for recipient institutions in terms of preventing worker reductions. Cumbo stated that while DCLA does not require contingency plans specifically for layoffs, they do expect institutions to comply with all relevant labor laws.
The unions have expressed frustration over the museum’s failure to explore alternatives to layoffs, such as furloughs or buyouts. The layoffs were confirmed during an all-staff meeting at the museum, leaving the unions with only a few days’ notice before the decision was announced. Despite the museum’s assertion that the layoffs are unavoidable, the unions continue to advocate for alternative solutions to support the affected employees.
In response to inquiries, a spokesperson for the Brooklyn Museum stated that negotiations with the unions are ongoing regarding severance packages for laid-off employees and the specific positions to be cut. The museum maintains that the layoffs are necessary to address a structural deficit and rebalance the budget, emphasizing that furloughs would not adequately address the financial challenges facing the institution.
DC 37 Executive Director Henry A. Garrido affirmed the unions’ commitment to fighting for the affected workers, stating that all possible options should be exhausted before resorting to layoffs. The unions are dedicated to supporting their members and advocating for fair treatment in the face of financial challenges at the Brooklyn Museum. In 2016, the Brooklyn Museum faced financial challenges and had to make tough decisions to address a $10 million deficit. The museum’s director, Anne Pasternak, implemented cost-saving measures like voluntary furloughs to avoid layoffs, showing a commitment to supporting the museum’s workforce. However, in a recent decision to lay off 47 employees, concerns were raised by Council Member De La Rosa and others about whether all options had been explored before resorting to layoffs.
During a special oversight hearing, Council Member Garrido questioned the timing of the cuts, suggesting that waiting until the end of the city’s budget process could have allowed for alternative strategies to reduce the deficit without significant job losses. Alternative funding strategies were discussed, such as charging for popular events like First Saturdays, but concerns were raised about changing the museum’s accessibility through a pay-what-you-wish policy.
Union representatives from Local 2110 and Local 1520 alleged that the museum strategically targeted employees to weaken union strength, ignoring contract stipulations like seniority. This led to accusations of union-busting tactics, which the museum vehemently denied. Charges were filed with the National Labor Relations Board in response to the layoffs.
In response to the financial shortfall, the museum implemented a hiring freeze, programming reductions, and salary cuts for senior employees. Pasternak attributed part of the deficit to the city’s lack of funding for DC 37 salaries, placing a larger burden on the museum. However, unions pointed to the museum’s fiscal mismanagement, citing spending on consultants and high-paid management positions as contributing factors.
Council Member Garrido highlighted the disparity in compensation, with the director of the Brooklyn Museum earning over $1 million while some workers earned as little as $30,000 a year. Suggestions were made for higher earners to take unpaid furloughs to save jobs and address the financial crisis. Pasternak’s current salary is $715,000, down from $1,012,633 in 2023, with payments deferred during the pandemic.
Overall, the debate over the layoffs at the Brooklyn Museum highlights the challenges faced by cultural institutions in balancing financial sustainability with equitable treatment of workers. The union’s accusations of targeted layoffs and the museum’s response to financial pressures underscore the complex dynamics at play in the cultural sector. The world is constantly changing, and with that change comes new opportunities for growth and development. In recent years, we have seen a shift towards a more digitalized society, where technology plays a crucial role in almost every aspect of our lives. This has created a wealth of new opportunities for businesses and individuals alike, as they seek to capitalize on the potential that technology offers.
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