Staff at Whitney Museum, Brooklyn Museum, and American Folk Art Museum Authorize Strike
“Staff should be able to afford to live in the city they work in,” said one of the workers organized with UAW Local 2110.
Unionized employees at the Whitney Museum of American Art, Brooklyn Museum, and American Folk Art Museum (AFAM) have decided to authorize a potential strike if they do not secure fair terms in their upcoming union contracts. Richard Ho, the AFAM's Director of Information Technology, emphasized that "staff should be able to afford to live in the city they work in."
The AFAM staff voted unanimously to unionize in order to tackle issues regarding workplace rights and wages, which have remained stagnant and below inflation levels. While specific strike dates have not been announced, the union groups, affiliated with United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 2110, have also voted to set a strike deadline if necessary.
This action follows that of the Guggenheim Museum union, which had previously authorized a strike in June after six months of unsuccessful contract negotiations. The three-year union contracts at the Whitney and Brooklyn Museum expired this summer, and the AFAM union, which was established in 2024, has been in talks for an inaugural contract for the past two years.
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