American Folk Art Museum Staff Unanimously Votes to Form Union
Staff at the American Folk Art Museum (Afam) have voted unanimously to form a union, just a month after announcing their intent to organise. The union will include staff from various departments such as curatorial, retail, education, and information technology. Motivations for organising include advocating for fair wages, better benefits, and sustainable working conditions.
The museum, with locations on the Upper West Side and in Queens, has a collection of over 8,000 objects spanning from the 1890s to now. The vote to unionise was met with enthusiasm and unity among the staff, with plans for productive collective bargaining ahead.
The United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 2110, representing museums across New York City and the Northeast, has seen several recent unionisations, including the Dia Art Foundation, Jewish Museum, Museum of Fine Art in Boston, and Mass Moca. Productive negotiations are anticipated as the museum and union move forward.
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Elara Voss, graduated from the Royal College of Art in London with a Master’s in Fine Art. She specializes in contemporary sculpture and installation art, exploring themes of nature and human interaction. Elara’s works have been featured in several group exhibitions across Europe, and she is currently working on her first solo show.