Whitney Museum Workers Set October 5 Strike Deadline as Contract Talks Stall
On October 5, unionized employees at the Whitney Museum of American Art plan to initiate a strike unless a fair contract is established. Workers, represented by United Auto Workers Local 2110, are expressing concerns over insufficient wages in light of rising inflation and living expenses. Their previous three-year contract lapsed in June. Although entry-level wages have risen from $17 to $24 per hour, the union is advocating for a minimum annual salary of $71,000, based on a New York City cost of living analysis. The museum's substantial endowment of over $1 billion supports these requests. A strike could potentially impact the Roy Lichtenstein retrospective set to open on October 11. UAW Local 2110 also negotiates for staff at other museums, with ongoing talks and strike authorizations.
Key facts
- Whitney Museum unionised staff plan to strike on 5 October if no contract agreement is reached.
- The three-year contract between the Whitney and UAW Local 2110 expired in June.
- Entry-level staff received a raise from $17 to $24 per hour.
- The union demands a minimum salary of $71,000 per year, citing a New York City cost of living report.
- The Whitney has an endowment exceeding $1bn, which the union cites as evidence of ability to meet demands.
- Micah Musheno, a nearly decade-long employee, began as an unpaid curatorial intern under Elisabeth Sussman.
- In mid-September, Whitney, Brooklyn Museum, and American Folk Art Museum workers voted to authorise strikes; Brooklyn Museum has since reached a tentative agreement.
- A strike could disrupt the Roy Lichtenstein retrospective Like New, opening 11 October, with previews from 6 October.
Entities
Artists
- Micah Musheno
- Elisabeth Sussman
- Scott Rothkopf
- Roy Lichtenstein
- Maida Rosenstein
- Julie Mehretu
- Derrick Charles
- Erika Wentworth
- Katie Fong
Institutions
- Whitney Museum of American Art
- United Auto Workers Local 2110
- Brooklyn Museum
- American Folk Art Museum
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Museum of Modern Art
- Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
- Noguchi Museum
- The Art Newspaper
- UAW Local 2110
- Dasartes
- United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 2110
- Jewish Museum
- New Museum of Contemporary Art
Locations
- New York
- United States
- Gansevoort Street
- New York City