In a spirited display of solidarity, workers from the American Folk Art Museum in New York City joined forces with UAW Local 2110 organizers to protest during the museum's annual gala at the Mandarin Oriental on May 6. Their call for higher wages and improved benefits echoed through Columbus Circle as they held signs with messages like "For Folk's Sake" and "Self Taught, Not Self Funded," while chanting slogans highlighting their demands.
After nearly two years of stalled contract negotiations, staff members felt compelled to take action. Eve Erickson, a development associate at the museum, emphasized, "The museum can raise all the money it wants, but if it doesn't pay its workers fairly, then it can't function well. There's no art without the museum staff."
Since voting to join UAW Local 2110 in June 2024, workers have been advocating for increased minimum wages and better benefits. Currently, frontline staff earn approximately $19 per hour, which totals around $58,686 annually--about $12,000 below the living wage for New York City as calculated by MIT.
In their negotiations, union representatives proposed a three-year contract that would gradually raise wages to $30 per hour. However, museum leadership only offered to increase wages to $21.50 per hour without guaranteeing existing benefits such as healthcare and flexible work schedules, which the union deemed insufficient.
As negotiations continued, the museum closed its Lincoln Square building for renovations last fall, during which time several unionized positions were eliminated and outsourced to consultants, according to union representatives. Maida Rosenstein, director of organizing at Local 2110 UAW, criticized the employer's responses, describing them as antagonistic and indicative of bad-faith bargaining.
Frustration among staff grew as they prepared for the museum's reopening on April 9, which featured a new exhibition titled Self-Made: A Century of Inventing Artists. The protest coincided with the gala, which was expected to attract around 250 guests and raise significant funds for the museum.
While museum officials did not disclose the amount raised during the gala, they acknowledged their commitment to working towards a fair contract. A museum spokesperson stated, "We respect our employees' decision to unionize and are committed to working in good faith toward a fair and mutually beneficial contract."
The event showcased a unique blend of support and solidarity, with some trustees engaging warmly with the protesting staff. Jean Seestadt, a former events manager at the museum, expressed hope for a swift resolution to the contract negotiations. "I love the museum. I hope they make a lot of money tonight so they can pay their workers more," she said.
This rally reflects a growing movement within cultural institutions to ensure fair compensation for their vital staff, potentially setting a precedent for similar organizations in the future.
