Staff at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry are taking matters into their own hands, setting a strike date of November 29 as contract negotiations between management and the union, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), enter its final stages.
The decision comes after the union voted to authorize a strike in September, a move that has been nearly two years in the making. The museum's employees, who work in various departments including guest experience, operations, and education, are demanding better wages and benefits. A significant portion of the workforce - over 120 employees - will be affected by the proposed changes.
The union claims that many workers have not seen a raise since 2022 and are struggling to make ends meet, with some earning as little as $16.60 an hour for non-tipped employees, despite the fact that many colleagues earn more than $20 per hour. Additionally, part-time workers do not receive holiday pay or premium pay for bilingual employees, and parental leave is also not offered.
"It's way past time for management to do what's right," said Zach Kelchen, a guest engagement representative and member of the union bargaining committee. "We make MSI a world-class institution, and we're prepared to do whatever it takes to secure the pay and benefits we deserve."
The museum has previously stated its commitment to engaging in dialogue with AFSCME, but so far, no agreement has been reached. The union is now pushing for real movement on a fair contract that supports both employees and visitors.
As the strike date draws near, workers are preparing for action, determined to secure the better wages and benefits they deserve. With support from other unions, including those representing staff at the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago History Museum, and the Field Museum, the museum's employees are united in their quest for a fairer deal.
The decision comes after the union voted to authorize a strike in September, a move that has been nearly two years in the making. The museum's employees, who work in various departments including guest experience, operations, and education, are demanding better wages and benefits. A significant portion of the workforce - over 120 employees - will be affected by the proposed changes.
The union claims that many workers have not seen a raise since 2022 and are struggling to make ends meet, with some earning as little as $16.60 an hour for non-tipped employees, despite the fact that many colleagues earn more than $20 per hour. Additionally, part-time workers do not receive holiday pay or premium pay for bilingual employees, and parental leave is also not offered.
"It's way past time for management to do what's right," said Zach Kelchen, a guest engagement representative and member of the union bargaining committee. "We make MSI a world-class institution, and we're prepared to do whatever it takes to secure the pay and benefits we deserve."
The museum has previously stated its commitment to engaging in dialogue with AFSCME, but so far, no agreement has been reached. The union is now pushing for real movement on a fair contract that supports both employees and visitors.
As the strike date draws near, workers are preparing for action, determined to secure the better wages and benefits they deserve. With support from other unions, including those representing staff at the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago History Museum, and the Field Museum, the museum's employees are united in their quest for a fairer deal.
strike alert 
. i'm all 4 AFSCME, these employees deserve better, whether its $16.60 or $20+ an hr, its still not enough. and whats w/ the lack of parental leave & holiday pay? it's time 4 management 2 step up & do what's right 
. let's keep our fingers crossed that dis strike gets resolved w/ a fair contract 4 all parties involved 
I FEEL FOR THESE WORKERS WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET, ESPECIALLY WITH SOME OF THEM EARNING MORE THAN $20 PER HOUR! IT'S JUST NOT RIGHT. AND THE LACK OF HOLIDAY PAY AND PARENTAL LEAVE IS LIKE, THE ULTIMATE SLAP IN THE FACE!!! I'M ROOTING FOR THESE UNION MEMBERS TO GET THE FAIR CONTRACT THEY DESERVE. COME NOV 29, MSI... YOU BETTER BE READY! 
A $16.60 an hour wage? That's not even close to a living wage in this city. And don't even get me started on the lack of holiday pay and parental leave... it's like they're expected to be robots or something. 
I'm all for supporting workers, but this is just ridiculous. Maybe management needs to take a long hard look at what these employees are asking for and realize that it's not too much to ask for a fair contract. 
It's time to put people over profits, you know? 
... its like they're already working hard to make MSI awesome, but still struggling to get by financially. $16.60 an hour is basically minimum wage, and no holiday pay or parental leave? that's not right. i get it, management wants to engage in dialogue, but 2 years of negotiations without a deal is just too long 
. these workers are willing to strike for what they deserve - fair wages and benefits. kudos to them for standing strong 
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. Newsflash: it's the employees who make the museum run, so shouldn't they get some decent compensation for their work? 
The fact that part-time workers don't even get holiday pay is just ridiculous. I hope the strike goes ahead as planned, but what if it doesn't get resolved? The museum and its visitors will suffer in the meantime 
. Can we please do better by our public servants? 
. 120+ people struggling to make ends meet with minimal raises since 2022? It's ridiculous! The museum prides itself on being a world-class institution, but it seems like the staff are getting taken for granted 
. The union is pushing back hard and rightfully so 
November is already upon us and I'm worried about how this museum strike will affect everyone involved... especially the visitors 
120+ staff members deserve better pay & benefits after all these years, it's just not fair 
. It's like they're trying to make ends meet on a really low hourly wage ($16.60) - that's crazy! 
Either way, let's keep our fingers crossed for a positive outcome 
... Anyway, gotta give props to Zach Kelchen for speaking up – I'm rooting for the union!
. I mean, $16.60 an hour? That's basically minimum wage, you know? They're working hard to make MSI a world-class institution and this is how they're treated? It's not just about the money, though that's a big part of it... it's about being respected and valued as employees. They want fair wages and benefits, which is totally reasonable, especially considering many colleagues earn more than double what the non-tipped workers are making 
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. I mean, the museum's all about being a world-class institution, but without taking care of its own people, how can that even happen? 
. a strike is never fun for anyone involved 
. Like, $16.60 an hour is not enough, especially when some colleagues are earning way more than that. It's crazy that part-time workers don't even get holiday pay or premium pay for being bilingual 
That's some harsh math! I'm all for fairness and supporting these dedicated employees who bring art & science to life for us. Let's hope they get a sweet deal out of this strike