Chicago Museum Staff Set to Strike as Contract Talks Teeter on Brink. A strike by museum staff at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry is now set for November 29 unless a deal can be reached before then.
The decision, which comes after the union authorized a strike in September, marks nearly two years since the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) formed to negotiate its first contract with the Hyde Park museum. The move is seen as a response to stagnant wages and lackluster benefits. With over 120 employees from the guest experience, operations, and education departments represented by the union, workers are seeking significant raises in pay, better paid parental leave, holiday compensation, and increased bilingual pay premiums.
The union argues that its members – with nearly a third of them earning $16.60 per hour, below the citywide minimum wage for non-tipped employees, while most earn less than $20 an hour – often work multiple jobs to make ends meet due to their low wages. Moreover, the museum does not offer holiday pay or premium pay for bilingual employees, leaving workers vulnerable.
In a statement, union representative Zach Kelchen stated that his colleagues are prepared to take action to secure fair compensation and benefits. "It's way past time for management to do what's right," he said. The bargaining committee is set to meet with the museum administration on Monday night in its final meeting before the strike date.
The museum's previous statements emphasized its commitment to engaging in dialogue with AFSCME while working towards a comprehensive resolution that benefits both employees and visitors. This comes as other Chicago museums, including the Art Institute of Chicago and the Field Museum, have recently joined the union.
The decision, which comes after the union authorized a strike in September, marks nearly two years since the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) formed to negotiate its first contract with the Hyde Park museum. The move is seen as a response to stagnant wages and lackluster benefits. With over 120 employees from the guest experience, operations, and education departments represented by the union, workers are seeking significant raises in pay, better paid parental leave, holiday compensation, and increased bilingual pay premiums.
The union argues that its members – with nearly a third of them earning $16.60 per hour, below the citywide minimum wage for non-tipped employees, while most earn less than $20 an hour – often work multiple jobs to make ends meet due to their low wages. Moreover, the museum does not offer holiday pay or premium pay for bilingual employees, leaving workers vulnerable.
In a statement, union representative Zach Kelchen stated that his colleagues are prepared to take action to secure fair compensation and benefits. "It's way past time for management to do what's right," he said. The bargaining committee is set to meet with the museum administration on Monday night in its final meeting before the strike date.
The museum's previous statements emphasized its commitment to engaging in dialogue with AFSCME while working towards a comprehensive resolution that benefits both employees and visitors. This comes as other Chicago museums, including the Art Institute of Chicago and the Field Museum, have recently joined the union.
. Low wages aren't cool for staff, especially when they're already working multiple jobs just to get by. It's a shame they gotta take a stand like this. Better pay and decent benefits are basics 
. Can't even get that right in the museum of science 
...
... museum staff workin hard but gettin paid peanuts 
. i feel for these workers, they deserve better benefits and compensation 
. the fact that they're willin to strike shows how desperate they are for change 
. hopefully they get what they want, it's time for museums 2 take care of their staff 
museum staff on strike 
i feel for these people they work hard but cant make ends meet because of low wages + no holiday pay = not cool 
the thing is, most museums are already popular and well funded, so its not like the museum is struggling financially. 
maybe management should prioritize employees over visitors? 
what do u guys think? 
. And what's with all these new rules for parental leave and holiday pay? It sounds like they're trying to control people's lives more than ever. I mean, if they want to make ends meet, shouldn't they just work a little harder? Or get a second job or something? And bilingual pay premiums? That's just another way of the museum saying "we gotta pay you more because we know you're good at both English and whatever other language you speak". It's like, come on, people. Can't you just be happy with what you've got? 
hope they get some decent raises & benefits before nov 29 
. The union is asking for fair compensation and stuff, but the museum's all like "we're committed to dialogue" 
!
Did you know that 1 in 5 museum staff in Chicago are earning less than $20 an hour? 
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... let's hope they get something sorted out before November 29th 
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. And the fact that some of these people are barely scraping by, earning less than $20 an hour, is just ridiculous. I mean, come on, how can we expect them to show up to work with a smile if they're struggling to put food on the table? It's like the museum is playing a cruel game of hide-and-seek with their employees' basic needs 
. I'm literally feeling for these people, and I hope that management takes the time to really listen to their demands and work out a fair solution 
it's not like it's gonna break the bank or anything.
. And to make matters worse, a lot of them are barely scraping by on $16.60 an hour 
. The fact that some museums in Chicago are joining AFSCME now shows that there's a growing movement towards employee rights and fair treatment 
.
. But if the staff does end up going on strike, I can see why they'd be frustrated 
, another museum strike? It's like they're saying enough is enough! I feel for the staff, they deserve a decent pay, especially considering most of them earn less than $20 an hour. And holiday compensation, come on, that's basic human rights 
. I hope they get a good deal before November 29, wouldn't want those workers having to juggle multiple jobs just to make ends meet.
it's time for management to step up & do what's right 