CHICAGO – Employees at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) Chicago have ratified their first union contract.
Members of Museum of Contemporary Art Workers United/AFSCME decisively approved the agreement on March 26 with 98% of votes cast in support of ratification. AFSCME-represented employees include 72 staff members across the museum’s artistic and operations divisions.
“Chicago’s cultural workers are proving that when workers come together, they can win better wages, stronger protections and a voice on the job,” said AFSCME Council 31 Executive Director Roberta Lynch, who’salso an AFSCME vice president. “With the ratification of their union contract, Museum of Contemporary Art employees have won an agreement that reflects their dedication, rewards their hard work, and gives them a real seat at the table.”
Madeleine Grynsztejn, MCA’s Pritzker director, also expressed support.
“The MCA deeply values its employees and is pleased to have reached an agreement that reflects our shared commitment to the people who make the MCA an inspiring place to work and experience contemporary art,” Grynsztejn said. “This agreement supports our staff, strengthens our workplace, and helps position us for the future.”
The four-year agreement raises wages by 12% across the board, with a 3% increase retroactive to July 1, 2025. All bargaining-unit members will receive a ratification bonus, and employees designated as translators will receive bilingual pay.
Other provisions in the contract include:
- Four weeks of paid parental leave upon the birth or adoption of a child;
- An improved retirement plan;
- The maintenance of current health insurance cost-sharing ratios, ensuring health insurance will remain affordable; and
- The establishment of a grievance and arbitration process that will ensure workplace issues are solved fairly and equitably.
Employees first announced their intention to form their union in February 2024. MCA management voluntarily recognized the union a month later. Contract negotiations began in September 2024 and resulted in a tentative agreement on March 18 this year.
More than 50,000 workers at museums, libraries, zoos and other cultural institutions across the United States have gained a voice on the job through the AFSCME Cultural Workers United campaign — the largest of its kind in the nation.