Workers at the Guggenheim Museum have voted to authorize a strike while negotiations over a new labor contract continue, according to UAW Local 2110. The union says the decision reflects a push for stronger pay, better health coverage, and greater job security.
Union leaders said 93% of members supported the move in last week's vote, though no strike date has been announced. The current talks follow the museum staff's first union contract, ratified in August 2023 after employees from departments including curatorial, conservation, education, and visitor services joined the union in 2021.
Negotiations for a second agreement have been underway since December. The union says recent layoffs remain a key concern, and it is seeking clearer layoff notice rules, improved severance terms, and lower health care costs for employees earning under $75,000 a year.
The museum has proposed a four-year deal with annual pay increases beginning at 3% in the first year and 2.75% in each of the following three years. The union's counterproposal calls for a three-year term with a 5% increase in year one and 4.25% in the next two years, citing living costs in New York City and rising medical expenses.
As cultural institutions adapt to changing workforce expectations, this negotiation may help shape how major museums balance artistic ambition with sustainable employment in the years ahead.