LOS ANGELES – Following a wave of successful organizing drives among cultural institutions in Los Angeles County, workers at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) announced that they are forming a union, LACMA United, through AFSCME District Council 36.
The new union would represent over 300 workers and include curators, educators, guest relations associates and more at LACMA, the largest art museum in the western United States.
In a letter addressed to LACMA staff, its executive team and board of trustees, workers asserted that as the museum nears completion of the new David Geffen Galleries — a project estimated to cost more than $700 million — ensuring the stability of staff should be equally crucial to the future of the museum.
“Many employees are struggling with wages that have not kept up with the rising cost of living in the sixth most expensive city in the world,” the workers state in their letter.
Workers also said that virtually all departments have absorbed expanded responsibilities and workloads due to high turnover, limited resources and vacated or frozen positions, often without additional compensation.
By forming LACMA United, workers aim to address these issues and advocate for fairer compensation, expanded benefits and increased transparency in institutional protocols and resources. These are all changes that will improve the well-being of staff and enhance the services they provide for diverse communities.
“I’ve had the privilege of editing books and exhibition materials at LACMA for nearly 25 years,” said Sara Cody, a senior publications editor. “But as departments have shrunk and workloads have grown increasingly unsustainable, it’s become more and more challenging to uphold the level of excellence these projects deserve. Forming our union will ensure that we all have the resources and respect to consistently produce our best work as the museum moves forward.”
Sierra Schiano, a teacher for mobile programs, shared similar aspirations for the staff union.
“I love teaching kids about ancient art by holding actual ancient artifacts — that's a job I can only do at LACMA,” said Schiano. “But I would also love to have the support of a union to ensure that this job is part of a sustainable career.”
Workers have requested voluntary recognition of their union, LACMA United, upon demonstration of majority support from the museum’s executive team and board of trustees by Nov. 5.
In the last few years, Los Angeles County cultural institutions such as the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures and Foundation, and most recently the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and La Brea Tar Pits voluntarily recognized their staff unions. All of them also organized with AFSCME District Council 36 and are part of AFSCME Cultural Workers United, the largest union for cultural workers in America. LACMA workers hope their museum will respect workers’ voices and follow suit.