DECEMBER 15, 2022
Progress in bargaining, the fight continues
Hello United Museum Workers!
I am proud to share our last bargaining update of 2022. We have made a lot of progress this year. We appreciate this opportunity to reflect on all we have accomplished, and look forward to continuing the fight.
In 2022, we met with management more than twenty times and put all of our economic and non-economic proposals on the table. We secured some important tentative agreements (TAs) that cover a range of topics, including the grievance procedure, communications, and health and safety. This means we are moving closer to a set of TAs that will comprise the collective bargaining agreement our whole membership will vote on.
Still, there are many proposals we continue to negotiate because they involve important aspects of our working conditions. The harshest blow was in November when CMP presented an opening economic proposal that raised healthcare costs, provided few benefits beyond the status quo, and still did not propose a living wage for most of our members.
The stakes are higher than ever. We must continue making progress - and you can make that possible.
Our union is strongest when we come together. We saw this clearly following our action at the Carnegie International opening. Our action at Mars: The Next Giant Leap extended our visibility to the North Shore museums. This is just the start of activities to strengthen our solidarity and make it clear to CMP that progress in bargaining matters to all of us.
So how can you take action?
CMP only sees a few of us at the bargaining table when they reject our proposals and dismiss our concerns. But there are more than 500 of us across the museums. We have the power to secure a fair contract.
This power should be something that CMP takes seriously. In their new Vision for Impact document, CMP outlined its core values, including, “Working together to make the whole institution greater than the sum of its parts.” This is unfortunately not a value we see represented in bargaining. CMP has repeatedly tried to divide us by our components and by our status as full time, part time, and occasional workers. We have fought tirelessly against this every time. We ALL deserve a living wage. We ALL deserve better working conditions. We ALL deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.
Two years ago today, we voted and made this union a reality. This happened because we came together. And that is what we will continue to do.
In solidarity,
Pam
Pam Curtin has been an educator at Powdermill Nature Reserve since 2010, following many years as a volunteer and summer camper. Her career spans several museums, historic sites, and parks where she has focused on education, interpretation, exhibits, and communications. She has an MA in Public History from West Virginia University and BA in History from Saint Vincent College, where she teaches courses including museum studies. Her love for the Carnegie Museums inspired her to get involved with union efforts, and she is continually inspired by her coworkers' hard work and shared passion for the Museums. A native of Latrobe, Pam also enjoys photography, drawing, hiking, birdwatching, traveling, and volunteering with the Pennsylvania Master Naturalist program.
Hello United Museum Workers!
I am proud to share our last bargaining update of 2022. We have made a lot of progress this year. We appreciate this opportunity to reflect on all we have accomplished, and look forward to continuing the fight.
In 2022, we met with management more than twenty times and put all of our economic and non-economic proposals on the table. We secured some important tentative agreements (TAs) that cover a range of topics, including the grievance procedure, communications, and health and safety. This means we are moving closer to a set of TAs that will comprise the collective bargaining agreement our whole membership will vote on.
Still, there are many proposals we continue to negotiate because they involve important aspects of our working conditions. The harshest blow was in November when CMP presented an opening economic proposal that raised healthcare costs, provided few benefits beyond the status quo, and still did not propose a living wage for most of our members.
The stakes are higher than ever. We must continue making progress - and you can make that possible.
Our union is strongest when we come together. We saw this clearly following our action at the Carnegie International opening. Our action at Mars: The Next Giant Leap extended our visibility to the North Shore museums. This is just the start of activities to strengthen our solidarity and make it clear to CMP that progress in bargaining matters to all of us.
So how can you take action?
- Sign up for text messages - Information is power, so receive the latest updates about bargaining and union activities by texting UMW to the number 47486.
- Attend meetings - In the new year, we will host membership meetings for every component. This will give us a chance to come together, connect, and discuss progress on bargaining.
- Talk to your coworkers - Talk about bargaining updates, ask questions, and share your ideas for how we can work together.
- Get involved however you can - Attend events, join our Contract Action Team, forward texts and emails to coworkers, and wear your UMW buttons and stickers.
CMP only sees a few of us at the bargaining table when they reject our proposals and dismiss our concerns. But there are more than 500 of us across the museums. We have the power to secure a fair contract.
This power should be something that CMP takes seriously. In their new Vision for Impact document, CMP outlined its core values, including, “Working together to make the whole institution greater than the sum of its parts.” This is unfortunately not a value we see represented in bargaining. CMP has repeatedly tried to divide us by our components and by our status as full time, part time, and occasional workers. We have fought tirelessly against this every time. We ALL deserve a living wage. We ALL deserve better working conditions. We ALL deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.
Two years ago today, we voted and made this union a reality. This happened because we came together. And that is what we will continue to do.
In solidarity,
Pam
Pam Curtin has been an educator at Powdermill Nature Reserve since 2010, following many years as a volunteer and summer camper. Her career spans several museums, historic sites, and parks where she has focused on education, interpretation, exhibits, and communications. She has an MA in Public History from West Virginia University and BA in History from Saint Vincent College, where she teaches courses including museum studies. Her love for the Carnegie Museums inspired her to get involved with union efforts, and she is continually inspired by her coworkers' hard work and shared passion for the Museums. A native of Latrobe, Pam also enjoys photography, drawing, hiking, birdwatching, traveling, and volunteering with the Pennsylvania Master Naturalist program.