Unionized staff at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City have voted to authorize a strike as contract negotiations enter their sixth month. Organized under UAW Local 2110, the union seeks improved job protections and higher pay following the abrupt layoff of 20 employees in February 2025.
Union chair Drew Reynolds, a museum educator, described the layoffs as implemented "chaotically," claiming affected workers left without advance notice or union representation. "The cuts to staff created hardships for those of us remaining because we were forced to pick up a lot of extra work," Reynolds stated.
Union's Demands for Better Compensation
The Guggenheim is currently proposing a four-year contract featuring a 3% pay increase retroactive to January, with scheduled 2.75% increases for the following three years. However, the union believes these increases do not align with New York City's inflation rate of 5.1% and rising healthcare costs.
The union is advocating for a three-year agreement that includes a 5% retroactive increase for 2026 and 4.25% increases for the subsequent years. They are also requesting a modest reduction in healthcare costs for employees earning less than $75,000.
