Largest museum union in the US ratifies its first contract

Unionised staff on the Carnegie Museums in Pittsburgh ratified their first contract after 18 months of negotiations, with 98% of members voting final month to ratify the contract.

The union, United Museum Employees (UMW), contains workers throughout all 4 of the Carnegie Museums establishments: the Andy Warhol Museum, the Carnegie Science Heart, the Carnegie Museum of Pure Historical past and the Carnegie Museum of Artwork. It’s the largest union of museum staff within the US at present, with greater than 500 members. The UMW represents members throughout varied departments together with curators, scientists, artwork handlers, educators, gallery attendants, grant writers and different staff.

The four-year settlement paves the way in which for a lot of modifications, together with a increase within the baseline hourly pay price on the museums from $12 to $16. The vast majority of museum staff will see a right away pay increase—most starting from 15 to 35%—as will union members who’re at present incomes greater than $16 an hour. Different options of the contract embody the institution of a well being and security committee, adoption of anti-discrimination and seniority language, and elevated sick time for part-time staff.

“The elevated wages and different advantages on this contract provide monetary safety to our members,” says Grace Marson, a union member and humanities educator on the Andy Warhol Museum. “These wages can each entice new expertise and retain the employees we’ve got. It implies that staff will not have to go away the roles they love at our museums as a result of they can not afford it. Importantly, this contract additionally offers recognition to part-time staff, who make up a big portion of our bargaining unit. This contract rewards seniority amongst full-timers and part-timers alike, lastly displaying appreciation for years of exhausting work and dedication.”

The Carnegie Museums union former in 2020. It’s a part of the United Steelworkers, which represents 850,000 staff throughout varied industries together with metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemical substances, glass, auto provide and vitality, in addition to sectors together with healthcare, increased schooling, know-how and extra.

Negotiations for the union’s first contract lasted 18 months. “Within the first 12 months of bargaining, progress was very gradual,” Marson says. “The union determined to organise a number of actions in the previous few months to place stress on administration and present how passionate and dedicated we’re to bettering the working situations on the museums.”

The UMW’s organising and negotiating efforts are a part of a wave of labour campaigns at museums throughout the US that started a number of years in the past and gained steam throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, which additional uncovered most of the points cultural staff are going through at present.

In an announcement to The Artwork Newspaper Steven Knapp, the Carnegie Museums’ president and chief govt, stated that the contract was “a good, forward-looking settlement that advantages not solely employees who’re represented by the union however your entire Carnegie Museums group”.

Knapp added, “Our gifted colleagues—union and non-union—are all deeply dedicated to the public-serving mission of our museums, and this contract lays the inspiration for persevering with to construct a flourishing future collectively.”