Catherwood LibraryILR School

Workers at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art have been on strike for the past week, and are continuing to take strike action to demand a higher minimum wage for employees. Workers are seeking a minimum starting pay of $18.25 per hour, and the museum has stated that the most it is willing to offer is $17.25 per hour. Around sixty percent of the museum’s workforce currently earns $16.25 per hour, including museum attendants, janitors, and retail workers. Unionized employees are represented by the United Auto Workers union, and the union represents around 120 museum employees. Unionized employees voted in approval of strike authorization on March 6, after several months of unsuccessful contract negotiations between museum management and the UAW. The museum has remained open while unionized workers are on strike, and museum operations are run by managers and limited staff. Local restaurants located on the museum’s campus have experienced a large reduction in customers due to the strike, as consumers refuse to cross the picket line.