Whitney Museum workers protest outside gala over contract negotiations

On May 19, unionized employees at the Whitney Museum of American Art staged a protest outside the museum's annual fundraising gala, advocating for a new labor agreement. The gala celebrated artist Julie Mehretu, philanthropist Fern Kaye Tessler, and former director Adam D. Weinberg. Workers handed out flyers, buttons, and signs that read "We love fair contracts," expressing gratitude to attendees for their support of the Whitney Union UAW Local 2110. Representing approximately 185 employees in various departments, the union is currently negotiating its second contract since the museum recognized it in June 2021. The initial contract, ratified in March 2023, is set to expire next month after 16 months of discussions. Under this agreement, minimum hourly wages increased from $17 to $22 retroactively from January 2023, with future raises scheduled to reach $24 by June 2025. Additionally, workers received an average compensation increase of 15%, $1,000 signing bonuses, and cumulative raises of 9.5%. Although police barricades were reportedly set up along Gansevoort Street, creating tension, union members continued to interact with guests and artists. A representative from the museum affirmed their dedication to achieving a fair contract. Similar demonstrations took place at the Whitney's gala four years prior, highlighting a growing trend among cultural workers to use prominent events to draw attention to labor concerns.