#MFAonStrike

Dear Friends and Colleagues, 

The MFA Union staff has voted to hold a one-day strike on Wednesday, November 17th in support of a fair contract. Workers from departments across the MFA will picket the Museum at 465 Huntington Avenue. 

In a show of solidarity, we invite you to join us on the picket line outside the MFA where we will be picketing with signs, chants, and music. 

Last year, MFA staff voted by over 90% to unionize with UAW Local 2110, a union that has members at numerous museums including MASS MoCA, the Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim, and the Whitney Museum of American Art. Our MFA Union includes curators, conservators, library workers, public-facing staff, educators, and administrative and professional workers. We are trying to address livable wages and fair working conditions for everyone through our first contract.

Bargaining began over seven months ago, and progress has been painfully slow. The MFA’s negotiating position and current contract offer are untenable:

  • The Museum’s wage offer contains no guaranteed salary increase until 2024, and even then they’ll only commit to a 1.75% raise.  Our compensation is already below that of comparable institutions and some of us earn minimum wage only.  This would cause us to fall even further behind.
  • All staff benefits — health, retirement, paid time off, etc. — would be subject to change or reductions at the Museum’s discretion.
  • The Museum has not agreed to important workplace rights including just cause protection and due process for discipline, layoff protection and severance, union security, transfer rights, and health and safety protection.
  • Moreover, the Museum is pursuing costly, time-consuming Labor Board hearings to severely curtail the size and scope of our bargaining unit. They are challenging the eligibility of nearly a quarter of the people in our union. The cost of these hearings is prohibitive and could be better put toward a fair contract!!

 Here are ways you can support us on Nov. 17th!

  • Join us on the picket line on November 17 outside the MFA!
  • Repost our social media posts: @mfaunion and use #mfaonstrike in your posts.
  • Ask museum leadership to respect our union by posting on the MFA’s social media pages @mfaboston or send an email to management: mteitelbaum@mfa.org 
  • Share this email with your friends and colleagues to spread the word and build solidarity with museum workers everywhere!

More information can be found on our website at mfaunion.org 

Questions, email: MFAunion@2110uaw.org

In solidarity,

MFAunion Bargaining Committee

Jordan Barnes*Laure Marest*Eve Mayberger*Thomas Perriard*Emma Rose Rainville*Haley Rayburn*Gerri Strickler*Kara Stokowski*Martina Tanga

Local 2110 Representatives

Chelsea Farrell*Maida Rosenstein