MARCH 15, 2022
Subject: Back to the Bargaining Table in 2022
Subject: Back to the Bargaining Table in 2022
Dear museum colleagues:
Hello! This is Gabi DiDonna from Carnegie Museum of Art with an update from the UMW Bargaining Committee:
Following a short hiatus from bargaining in January, both the union and CMP's committees returned to the negotiating table last month for three separate meetings on February 16, 23, and 28. It was during this time that we received a response from CMP responded to the comprehensive non-economic contract proposal that we delivered to them on November 30th, 2021.
I am very happy to report that tangible progress is being made at the bargaining table with CMP. This is a marked improvement from previous months when progress was slow. These issues include, but certainly are not limited to: a commitment to a safe work environment, better communication to all employees, and concrete steps to hold management accountable to the promises they make to employees. (For those of you wondering where wages come in - it is customary to address “non economic” issues first before negotiating over economic issues like compensation and benefits).
So what helped to change this situation? In short: communication and discussion. We started our union because we wanted a voice in our workplace. At the bargaining table, we put proposals on the table that are informed by membership input on how you want your workplace to change. We had a detailed discussion about why each and every proposal is important--and management had to listen to it.
From my perspective, this message is finally getting through to CMP's bargaining committee: they are listening to us. CMP is now swiftly responding to the proposals we have put forward, identifying areas for compromise, and re-drafting proposals in ways which show active engagement with the demands we have put forward.
Let's be clear: the process of building a better, more equitable workplace is a long one. I have been involved with our union since organizing efforts began in late 2019. We knew going in that contract bargaining could take a while - it’s not an overnight process. But what keeps me hopeful is the drive and commitment for improvements in our workplace that I see in all our co-workers. In fact, I have even had supervisors and members of Human Resources tell me that they sincerely hope our contract fixes many of the issues endemic to the workplace problems that all of us face. Knowing that we have allies even within CMP's own management team leaves me with a feeling that our union has the power to make changes to our four museums that are long overdue.
Again, the last three bargaining sessions give me hope. As the New York Times recently noted, labor unions among museum workers nationwide are on the rise, particularly among East Coast museums over the past six months. Over the past three years, the nature of work has changed. Workers have changed. We stand to gain so much in our working lives at this critical moment by speaking up and challenging the status quo. Because if not now, when?
In solidarity,
Gabi
Gabi is currently the Associate Registrar of Exhibitions & Loans at Carnegie Museum of Art and has worked at CMOA since 2012. She moved to Pittsburgh in 2008 to study History of Art and French at the University of Pittsburgh and has been proud to call the city home ever since. A native of Kansas City, Gabi has been drawn to museums from an early age and was always interested in museum work as a career path. Gabi saw unionizing as an opportunity to improve the museums as a place to work, rather than simply leaving as she had seen many exhausted colleagues do. She enjoys cooking, learning foreign languages, reading, and video games in her free time; she also tends to a lively crew of 4-5 outdoor cats.
Hello! This is Gabi DiDonna from Carnegie Museum of Art with an update from the UMW Bargaining Committee:
Following a short hiatus from bargaining in January, both the union and CMP's committees returned to the negotiating table last month for three separate meetings on February 16, 23, and 28. It was during this time that we received a response from CMP responded to the comprehensive non-economic contract proposal that we delivered to them on November 30th, 2021.
I am very happy to report that tangible progress is being made at the bargaining table with CMP. This is a marked improvement from previous months when progress was slow. These issues include, but certainly are not limited to: a commitment to a safe work environment, better communication to all employees, and concrete steps to hold management accountable to the promises they make to employees. (For those of you wondering where wages come in - it is customary to address “non economic” issues first before negotiating over economic issues like compensation and benefits).
So what helped to change this situation? In short: communication and discussion. We started our union because we wanted a voice in our workplace. At the bargaining table, we put proposals on the table that are informed by membership input on how you want your workplace to change. We had a detailed discussion about why each and every proposal is important--and management had to listen to it.
From my perspective, this message is finally getting through to CMP's bargaining committee: they are listening to us. CMP is now swiftly responding to the proposals we have put forward, identifying areas for compromise, and re-drafting proposals in ways which show active engagement with the demands we have put forward.
Let's be clear: the process of building a better, more equitable workplace is a long one. I have been involved with our union since organizing efforts began in late 2019. We knew going in that contract bargaining could take a while - it’s not an overnight process. But what keeps me hopeful is the drive and commitment for improvements in our workplace that I see in all our co-workers. In fact, I have even had supervisors and members of Human Resources tell me that they sincerely hope our contract fixes many of the issues endemic to the workplace problems that all of us face. Knowing that we have allies even within CMP's own management team leaves me with a feeling that our union has the power to make changes to our four museums that are long overdue.
Again, the last three bargaining sessions give me hope. As the New York Times recently noted, labor unions among museum workers nationwide are on the rise, particularly among East Coast museums over the past six months. Over the past three years, the nature of work has changed. Workers have changed. We stand to gain so much in our working lives at this critical moment by speaking up and challenging the status quo. Because if not now, when?
In solidarity,
Gabi
Gabi is currently the Associate Registrar of Exhibitions & Loans at Carnegie Museum of Art and has worked at CMOA since 2012. She moved to Pittsburgh in 2008 to study History of Art and French at the University of Pittsburgh and has been proud to call the city home ever since. A native of Kansas City, Gabi has been drawn to museums from an early age and was always interested in museum work as a career path. Gabi saw unionizing as an opportunity to improve the museums as a place to work, rather than simply leaving as she had seen many exhausted colleagues do. She enjoys cooking, learning foreign languages, reading, and video games in her free time; she also tends to a lively crew of 4-5 outdoor cats.
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