Unionised Guggenheim workers rally at museum preview as contract negotiations drag on

On Thursday evening (30 March), a line of round 200 individuals together with museum members, donors and trustees snaked across the perimeter of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York for the VIP opening of recent exhibitions by set up artist Sarah Sze and Gego, the late Venezuelan Modernist. Whereas they waited, patrons have been handled to a special exhibit: round 30 members of the Guggenheim employees’ union brandishing indicators and handing out leaflets to boost consciousness of their ongoing contract negotiations with museum management.

“We’re right here as a result of we wish to increase consciousness among the many public and the guests, and particularly the humanities neighborhood about what’s occurring,” stated Maida Rosenstein, director of organising for United Auto Staff (UAW) Native 2110, of which the Guggenheim union is a component. “We’re going to proceed to make ourselves heard till we get a good contract.”

The Guggenheim’s union, which represents staff throughout sectors together with curatorial, conservation and training, returned Friday (31 March) morning to leaflet exterior the press previews for Sze and Gego’s exhibitions (which open to the general public at the moment).  Rosemary Taylor, a member of the Guggenheim bargaining committee, described the temper Thursday evening as “very supportive”.  She added, “The general public is asking questions and appears blissful to assist employees. They wish to know extra about what we’re doing out right here.”

“We’re preventing for our first contract. We have now been in negotiations for a bit of over a yr,” stated Nicolette Zoran, a member of the bargaining committee and customer expertise supervisor on the Guggenheim. “Administration retains coming to us with low-ball provides on wages, most significantly. You possibly can’t pay lease with status.”

Shaped in 2021, the UAW Native 2110 union represents about 140 employees throughout the Guggenheim. The contract at present on provide from the museum’s administration can be good for 4 years and supplies for a complete of 9.75% in wage will increase. The union is asking for a minimal improve of 16.5% over 4 years in addition to a rise in wages for front-of-house workers and theatre technicians, in addition to extending unionised employees’ protections to contract and challenge staff.

“The Guggenheim has been in negotiations now for over a yr, and the Guggenheim actually has a substandard wage proposal on the desk,” Rosenstein stated. “They’re providing very low will increase—method, method, beneath the price of residing, beneath what we have been capable of negotiate on the Whitney and even a lot smaller establishments. And it doesn’t lower it. Individuals unionised for a cause. They wished to handle this and we’d like the museum to do it.”

This week’s actions on the Guggenheim observe the ratification earlier this month of unionised Whitney Museum staff’ first contract. That contract included quite a few pay will increase, together with 15% throughout the board and a brand new minimal wage of $22 an hour for non-salaried employees retroactive to 1 January 2023. Unionised Guggenheim employees hope they will construct on their crosstown colleagues’ victories and safe their very own first contract.

“The Guggenheim is on the bargaining desk to barter in good religion in direction of a contract with Native 2110,” a Guggenheim spokesperson stated. “ We’re dedicated to sustaining a respectful and constructive work surroundings for all members of the Guggenheim’s distinctive workers.”

Engineering and amenities professionals and artwork companies, preparation and fabrication specialists on the Guggenheim additionally organised a union in 2021, which is a part of the IUOE (Worldwide Union of Working Engineers) Native 30, which incorporates 22 full-time staff and 145 part-time employees on the museum.