On Monday, a labor union petitioned the National Labor Relations Board to approve a bargaining unit covering roughly 1,000 salaried and hourly workers at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Local 2110 of the United Auto Workers (UAW), which already represents workers at several New York museums, cited pay inequities, lack of job protection, and increasing workloads as motivations. The Met currently has smaller unions for security guards and projectionists. Employees reportedly first reached out to Local 2110 in 2022, and the drive has gained momentum amid broader post-pandemic unionization efforts in cultural institutions.
If the vote passes, the Met would become one of the largest unionized museums in the United States, reflecting a growing trend among art museums and cultural institutions nationwide. The unionization effort highlights ongoing tensions between museum administration and staff over wages, benefits, and decision-making processes. On the same day, the Met also announced a major Costume Institute exhibition and named Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos as lead sponsors of the 2026 Met Gala, underscoring the museum's simultaneous focus on high-profile fundraising and labor relations.