Chicago Museum Workers Edge Closer to Strike as Contract Talks Stall.
The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry is bracing for a potential strike on November 29, with employees unionizing under the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) insisting that progress must be made by then in negotiations over wages, benefits, and working conditions.
Over two years after the initial contract talks began, staff representatives are adamant that their demands – including a salary hike and improved parental leave policies – must be met before they consider calling off the strike. Despite this, the union has authorized a walkout as early as mid-November if no substantial breakthroughs can be achieved by then.
The museum, home to over 120 employees, is currently facing criticism for underpaying staff, with nearly one-third of workers earning just $16.60 per hour – close to the city's minimum wage – and many others struggling to make ends meet despite working second jobs. The union argues that its members are shouldering an unfair burden, often skipping meals in order to support their families.
The museum's management has maintained a commitment to engaging with the union, but progress on key issues appears stalled. As negotiations enter a final stretch before the strike date, officials will convene for one last meeting tonight, leaving the fate of the Griffin Museum hanging precariously in the balance.
The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry is bracing for a potential strike on November 29, with employees unionizing under the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) insisting that progress must be made by then in negotiations over wages, benefits, and working conditions.
Over two years after the initial contract talks began, staff representatives are adamant that their demands – including a salary hike and improved parental leave policies – must be met before they consider calling off the strike. Despite this, the union has authorized a walkout as early as mid-November if no substantial breakthroughs can be achieved by then.
The museum, home to over 120 employees, is currently facing criticism for underpaying staff, with nearly one-third of workers earning just $16.60 per hour – close to the city's minimum wage – and many others struggling to make ends meet despite working second jobs. The union argues that its members are shouldering an unfair burden, often skipping meals in order to support their families.
The museum's management has maintained a commitment to engaging with the union, but progress on key issues appears stalled. As negotiations enter a final stretch before the strike date, officials will convene for one last meeting tonight, leaving the fate of the Griffin Museum hanging precariously in the balance.
. Chicago's museums are supposed to be treasures, but it feels like they're treating their employees like pennies 
. An hour and sixty cents? That's not even a decent price for a coffee 
️, let alone a living wage! The fact that people are having to skip meals just to make ends meet is heartbreaking 
.
. I hope those employees can come together and make some real progress before November 29th 
. The Griffin Museum deserves better – and so do its staff 
.
. Can't believe they're still not negotiating like adults. The museum's struggling to attract visitors and yet their staff is barely scraping by? It's a design disaster, if you ask me 
. Seriously though, fair wages and decent benefits are a must-have for any modern museum. It's not rocket science 
.
. what's up with museums bein so tight-lipped about their finances? seems like they wanna hide somethin' 
.
like how r ppl supposed 2 make ends meet on that lol? i feel so bad 4 them tho, gotta have a job 2 take care of fam rn... i wonder wut they'll do if the strike happens, will ppl still come visit the museum or is it gonna affect the local econ 
. I mean, come on, $16.60 an hour is basically minimum wage - how can they even afford rent in Chicago? 
.
. I remember when my parents were first starting out in their careers, we had to live on a shoestring budget too, but at least we didn't have the added stress of knowing our kids might not get fed if we didn't earn enough.
. The workers deserve better, and it's not like they're asking for the moon - just fair wages and decent benefits would be amazing 
.
. They're saying they won't strike if their demands aren't met by November 29, but what if that's just a ploy to get us thinking they're doing everything they can? What if the AFSCME union is actually trying to create tension so they can negotiate better deals afterwards? I mean, think about it – they want a salary hike and improved parental leave policies, which sounds like some pretty standard stuff. But what's really going on here? 
- are stuck with the bill if these workers go on strike.
I think this is super unfair 
are totally reasonable 
. Museums should be all about sharing knowledge and inspiring minds 
not breaking employees' spirits 
. That's just heartbreaking 
! It's time for the museum to step up its game and prioritize its staff 
or risk facing a strike 
.
that tonight's meeting leads to some positive changes 
. The fate of the Griffin Museum hangs in the balance 
, but with some good old-fashioned negotiations 
, I think they can avoid a walkout 
u got employees workin 2nd jobs bc they can't afford living wage 
afscme is fightin 4 fair treatment & it's high time 4 change 
griffin museum needs 2 step up its game 
I mean, come on, a 20% wage increase isn't exactly a tough ask when you're barely scraping by 
And don't even get me started on parental leave policies – it's like museums think their employees are somehow less deserving of family support just because they work in an 'artistic' field 
️ We deserve better for our artists and scientists and whatever other amazing things these workers bring to their museums! 
it's not about being generous or charitable, it's about basic human dignity. so let's hope that this strike leads to some real changes and progress for these employees