Union workers at the Philadelphia Art Museum go on 1-day strike
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- On Friday, about a dozen union workers at the Philadelphia Art Museum walked off the job. It's a one-day protest as workers fight for a new contract.
People driving near the Art Museum may notice those union workers striking. They're asking for fair pay, job security, and improved benefits.
Dozens of union members are circling the north entrance of the museum. They tell CBS3 they plan to be here all day to send a message to the museum management.
And local residents are supporting the demands, too.
"Collective action is the only way little folks can get their rights. Philly is definitely a union town," Stephanie Schechner, a neighbor, said.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art union - aka PMA Local 397 Union – has been in contract negotiations with museum management since October 2020.
"I am personally supporting because we need better healthcare, better pay, I need two jobs to afford all my bills," union member Juliet Vinegra said.
They're accusing museum management of violating federal labor laws and trying to break up the union.
"We're asking management to remedy their bad behavior at the negotiating table. We've been negotiating for two years now and we really hope this will show them that the museum can't operate without its workers," Adam Rizzo, PMA Local 397 Union president, said.
In a statement, the spokesperson for the museum responded to the strike by saying:
We have made considerable progress, reaching agreement on more than 25 substantive issues. We are disappointed that the union has chosen to strike, but we remain focused on reaching a fair and appropriate contract with the union.
Workers started picketing around the museum at 8 a.m.
Picket locations include the Art Museum, the Perelman Building and the Rodin Museum.
"I think people should care because this is a great museum," Rizzo said. "I mean, we're out here because we love the museum and we want it to be a resource for the city of Philadelphia and we're the people who make it run. And I think everyone deserves to be treated with respect and make a living wage."
Philadelphians with memberships to the museum came out in solidarity. They're hopeful this one-day strike will lead to less abstract negotiations.
"I'm confident that the museum is gonna do the right thing - they've hired a new director who has a history of doing the right thing at other institutions and I'm confident the PMA is gonna step up," a museumgoer said.
The museum will open on Friday with a limited staff.
