The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City has recently announced that its staff is officially unionized, following a successful National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) election. This development was made public on Friday, January 16, marking a significant milestone for workers at the prestigious institution.
The newly formed Met Union, affiliated with the United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 2110, will represent employees across 50 departments within the museum. This includes a diverse range of roles such as curators, librarians, conservators, visitor experience staff, and archivists. The unionization process began several months ago when staff expressed their desire for pay parity, increased representation, and greater transparency within the workplace.
After filing a petition with the NLRB in November, staff members at the museum voted overwhelmingly in favor of forming a union. With 76% of the vote in favor, 542 employees supported the unionization effort, while 172 were opposed. An additional 100 votes were disputed by the museum regarding eligibility to join the union.
Rebecca Capua, a Met conservator, emphasized the importance of the union victory, stating, “We won because we were able to convince our colleagues that they don’t have to accept whatever is offered to them, that their experience and hard work have earned them a seat at the table.” This sentiment was echoed by Alison Clark, a collections manager in the Asian Art Department, who emphasized that unionizing is just the first step towards negotiating a fair and equitable contract that reflects staff needs and priorities.
In response to the unionization efforts, a spokesperson for The Met expressed the institution’s commitment to working with the UAW to further its mission of connecting people to creativity, knowledge, and ideas. The spokesperson highlighted The Met’s history of supporting its staff with competitive salaries, benefits, and professional development opportunities. They also noted that over 600 employees earn more than $100,000 per year, and that salaries have increased by 4% over the past five years.
As the Met Union begins the process of negotiating a collective bargaining agreement, employees are hopeful that their voices will be heard and their concerns addressed. The unionization of staff at one of the world’s leading art museums signifies a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to ensure fair treatment and representation for workers in the cultural sector.
