Workers at the Metropolitan Museum of Art voted overwhelmingly to unionize with the United Auto Workers (UAW), with 542 in favor and 172 against, following nearly four years of organizing efforts. The election, overseen by the National Labor Relations Board, will see 100 challenged votes resolved through arbitration. The new union, part of UAW Local 2110, represents over 50 departments including conservators, curators, librarians, and digital staff, driven by concerns over job security, pay, and policy transparency.
This vote marks a significant milestone in the growing unionization movement across U.S. cultural institutions, which accelerated during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Met, already home to two other unions for security and other staff, is the latest major museum to organize, joining institutions like MoMA, the Guggenheim, and the Whitney. The unionization comes as the Met embarks on a $550 million expansion, the Oscar L. Tang and H.M. Agnes Hsu-Tang Wing, highlighting tensions between large capital projects and worker demands for fair contracts.