Museums workers try to unionize

As Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh reopened its four venues to the public Monday, 500 of its employees launched efforts to organize a union.

At a virtual rally Monday night, workers called for more transparency and communication, fair wages and benefits, equitable hiring and promotion procedures and more involvement in discussions about working conditions.

“Many of us struggle to make ends meet while the organization relies on our dedication, long hours and other sacrifices,” said Gabi DiDonna, an assistant registrar of loans at the Carnegie Museum of Art.

The employees work at The Andy Warhol Museum and Carnegie Science Center on the North Side and the Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History in Oakland. The group, called the United Museum Workers, is seeking representation by the United Steelworks of America.

On Monday night, the organizing committee called for museum workers to sign cards showing their support of the union. Once they receive a certain number of cards, they will submit a request to the National Labor Relations Board. From there, NLRB will set up a voting system to move forward.

The organizing committee did not yet have a timeline for how long the process would take, said Brandon Lyle, a museum educator at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.

Mr. Lyle said he has to work a second job because his full-time job at the museum does not pay enough.

“Oftentimes we’re sort of taken advantage of,” he said. “You’re expected to make a sacrifice for the cause.”

A spokesperson from the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh said the organization was aware of the union efforts but could not comment yet.

The public call for support came on the same day the four museums opened to the public after 15 weeks of closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time, more than 600 employees were furloughed.