DOWNTOWN — Field Museum workers have voted to unionize.
A majority of workers agreed to representation from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31, organizers said.
The issue was forced to a vot after museum leadership in November chose not to voluntarily recognize Field Museum Workers United as the union for employees. More than half of employees signed union authorization cards, organizers said.
The National Labor Relations Board oversaw the vote, where 241 of 300 staff members participated. Out of 241 voters, 174 favored unionizing, and 66 voted against it. Twelve challenged ballots were not counted, according to American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees — also known as AFSCME — Council 31.
“We’re thrilled that our coworkers have decisively said yes to our union, Field Museum Workers United/AFSCME,” the organizing committee wrote in a statement. “We also voted to form one bargaining unit for all Field Museum titles, because we know that we’re stronger together.”
Museum workers previously said they wanted to unionize to secure better pay, benefits and job security, saying many are forced to work two jobs to support careers at the museum.
Workers also said several colleagues were laid off at the height of the pandemic. Seventy-one positions were eliminated and 56 employees were furloughed in June 2020, according to a museum news release at the time.
Many of those who lost their jobs had been with the museum for decades, organizers previously said.
In a statement following the results of the vote, museum officials said they were committed to “begin good-faith bargaining over an initial contract with AFSCME.”
“We are grateful that more than 80 percent of our eligible staff voted in the unionization election,” a museum spokesperson said in a statement. “In our diverse workplace culture united by a common purpose, it was important to hear from as many voices as possible. The results of the vote demonstrate employees’ desire to be represented by AFSCME.
“While the election process produced strong feelings and contrasting views, we are once again unified in serving our visitors, our community, and our world.”
In the coming weeks, the union members will begin the bargaining process on their first union contract, according to organizers. That process will include electing a bargaining committee to represent them in negotiations and distributing a bargaining survey.
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