Unionized art handlers and facility workers at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York have initiated a series of protests and rallies over the past three weeks, highlighting ongoing contract negotiations. The latest demonstration, held on April 19th, saw approximately 30 union members gathering outside the museum during their lunch break to advocate for their cause.
Since the expiration of their previous contract in January, the union—affiliated with the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 30—has been engaged in negotiations for their second contract. Despite recent talks between museum administration and the union on April 16th, progress has been slow. A video circulating on social media depicted museum staff congregating in the main rotunda, engaging in a call-and-response chant during one such negotiation session.
Liz Jaff, a lead paper specialist at the Guggenheim, shop steward for the union, and member of the bargaining committee, commented on the recent developments: “We had a negotiation session on Tuesday, April 16th, the day after the action on Monday, and made some new progress on a proposal about severance. Regarding Friday’s action, we will understand its results better in the coming week. Visible actions like these are crucial for raising awareness about our concerns.”
During the April 19th rally, representatives from IUOE positioned a truck outside the museum displaying messages of support for cultural workers. Meanwhile, Guggenheim employees chanted slogans such as “shut it down,” accompanied by Dolly Parton’s song “9 to 5.”
The IUOE 30 represents approximately 150 Guggenheim workers, many of whom are freelancers on contract rather than full-time employees. Organizing in 2019, they ratified their first contract in 2021.
Jaff emphasized the workers’ priorities: “Our primary focus is to continue to make it sustainable to work at the museum. Fair wages, increases to the annuity, transparency in hiring and elevations protocols, and orientation and safety training are imperative to sustain our work. The museum undervalues our contributions despite many of us having long tenures. Our expertise and commitment facilitate the museum’s programming and maintain its iconic status.”
Requests for comment from the Guggenheim remained unanswered.
In a similar vein, following contract negotiations, the museum’s staff—comprising curators, educators, registrars, and others—formed a union under the United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 2110 in 2021. After staging actions during their contract talks, the UAW Local 2110 ratified their first contract in August 2023.
The UAW Local 2110 also represents workers at various museums and cultural institutions across the Northeastern United States, including Mass MoCA, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the Jewish Museum, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Dia Art Foundation.