Guggenheim Museum Workers Authorize Strike Amid Contract Negotiations

Unionised staff at the Guggenheim Museum in New York have voted overwhelmingly to authorise a strike as negotiations over a new collective bargaining agreement continue.

According to UAW Local 2110, 93% of participating members voted in favour of strike action if an agreement cannot be reached. The union represents workers across departments, including curatorial, conservation, education, archives, and visitor services. No strike date has been announced.

Negotiations for a second contract have been ongoing since December 2025, following the expiration of the previous agreement. The union is seeking higher pay, improved health benefits, stronger job security provisions, advance notice of layoffs, and enhanced severance protections. It has also called for lower healthcare costs for employees earning less than $75,000 per year.

The vote comes after the museum laid off 20 employees in February 2025, representing around 7% of its workforce. The union has argued that the layoffs highlighted the need for greater employment protections during the current bargaining process.

The Guggenheim has stated that it remains committed to negotiating in good faith and has expressed confidence that a fair and economically sustainable agreement can be reached. The museum has proposed a four-year contract with annual pay increases beginning at 3% in the first year, while the union is seeking a three-year agreement with larger salary increases to better reflect New York City’s rising cost of living.

The negotiations are taking place shortly after the appointment of Melissa Chiu as the Guggenheim’s new director.

Photo: Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA. Wikimedia Commons.