Nearly 1,000 salaried and hourly workers at the Metropolitan Museum of Art voted on Friday to join Local 2110 of the United Auto Workers (UAW), creating one of the largest museum unions in the United States. The vote passed 542-172, covering staff across 50 departments including curators, conservators, librarians, and archivists. Roughly 100 ballots remain sealed due to a management challenge, to be resolved through arbitration after certification by the National Labor Relations Board. The union drive had been brewing for over four years, driven by concerns over job security, pay equity, and transparency.
This vote marks a significant milestone in the growing unionization movement at major U.S. art museums, which accelerated after the Covid-19 pandemic. Local 2110 already represents workers at institutions like the Museum of Modern Art, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Guggenheim. The Met union gives staff a collective voice to negotiate for better wages and protections, potentially setting a precedent for other large museums nationwide and reshaping labor relations in the cultural sector.