LACMA Workers Overwhelmingly Vote to Unionize with AFSCME Council 36

LACMA Workers Choose to Unionize, Joining Forces with AFSCME

In a significant move for the cultural sector, employees of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), the largest art museum in the western United States, have successfully voted to unionize. This decision marks a pivotal achievement for AFSCME’s Cultural Workers United initiative.

The union election was held electronically on December 15-16, where an overwhelming 96% of LACMA workers voted in favor of unionization. The election was conducted by the American Arbitration Association after the museum management declined the workers' request for voluntary recognition and preferred an election instead. Efforts to dissuade unionization reportedly ceased following a supportive letter from Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis to the management.

The newly formed union, known as LACMA United, will represent over 300 museum employees, including curators, educators, administrators, and art preparators. These workers are integral to the museum's day-to-day operations, engaging with the public and maintaining the institution's vast collections.

Ryan Baker, a visitor services associate at LACMA, expressed optimism about the unionization, stating, "I’m looking forward to having a stronger camaraderie with my fellow colleagues and having a seat at the table where we can have an open and honest dialogue with upper management as front-of-house staff.”

Jayne Manuel, a program administrator for collections management, noted the collective ability to foster a healthier work environment, stating, "As unionized museum workers, we, alongside management, have the ability to shift the arts and culture field into a sector that builds a thriving workforce, rather than a sector known for its hardships.”

With this development, LACMA joins a growing list of Los Angeles cultural institutions that have unionized under the Cultural Workers United campaign. Other institutions include the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Academy Museum and Foundation, and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and La Brea Tar Pits, all of which have gained voluntary recognition for their unions.

The push for unionization at LACMA was initially announced on October 29, with workers highlighting issues such as lack of transparency, inadequate wages, and high turnover rates. They emphasized the importance of staff stability, especially as the museum approaches the completion of the new David Geffen Galleries, a project with an estimated cost exceeding $700 million.

LACMA, known for its extensive collection of 150,000 works spanning from ancient history to the present, attracts nearly a million visitors annually. The unionization of its staff is seen as a step towards ensuring a more sustainable future for the museum and its workforce.