Strike Looms at Guggenheim as Tourist Season Peaks
3June 30, 2026
Unionized workers at theSolomon R. Guggenheim Museumin New York voted tostrikelast week,Artnewsreports. According to UAW Local 2110, which represents the institution’s staff, 93 percent of members agreed to the action “if necessary to win a fair contract.” No strike date has been announced as of yet, but the vote arrives at the start of summer, the time of year when New York museums typically see their highest attendance as vacationers flock to the city from around the world.
The union, which formed in 2021 and includes roughly 150 curators, conservators, educators, and public programmers,ratified its inaugural contract, for a two-and-a-half-year span, in 2023. Negotiations for a new agreement have been underway since December, with unionized staffpicketing the museum’s opening receptionfor its Carol Bove exhibition in March in order to draw attention to their demands, which they said museum officials had repeatedly rejected.
Among workers’ biggest concerns is the February 2025 layoff of twenty employees, or about 7 percent of the museum workforce. Per a statement, the bargaining unit is “seeking strengthened job security provisions, including advance notice of layoffs, and improved severance pay.”
“The layoffs last year were implemented chaotically,” said union chair Drew Reynolds, a Guggenheim education department staffer, in a statement. “Laid off staff were told to leave the museum with no advance notice and no union representation. The cuts to staff created hardships for those of us remaining because we were forced to pick up a lot of extra work. Workers took the brunt of the cuts while museum leadership did not give up a penny in their salaries.”
The Guggenheim has placed on the table a four-year agreement stipulating a 3 percent pay increase (retroactive to January) for the first year, with a 2.75 percent annual raise provided over the subsequent three years. Pointing to “an inflation rate of 5.1% in New York City and higher health care costs,” the union has called for a three-year agreement stipulating a 5 percent pay increase in the first year, and a 4.25 percent raise in each of the following two years, as well as reduced health care costs for those making less than $75,000 annually.
“We are currently at the bargaining table to negotiate in good faith towards a renewal of the contract with UAW Local 2110,” said the museum in a statement provided to Artnews. “Our priority remains reaching a fair and economically sustainable agreement for employees and the Guggenheim. Our bargaining team reached agreement with the union on a number of issues and remains ready to continue discussions at any time. We value our employees and the important work they do every day to support our visitors, collections, exhibitions, and mission. We are hopeful for a positive outcome on both sides soon.”