The Metropolitan Museum of Art staff voted to unionize with a 76% majority in a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to become members of UAW Region 9A, Local 2110. The ballot count was 542 Yes and 172 No.
Staff of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, NY, have voted by a 76% margin in a National Labor Relations Board election to unionize with UAW Local 2110. The ballot tally was 542 yes votes for the union with 172 votes against. The ballots of an additional 100 people remain sealed because they were challenged by the Museum which objected to inclusion of these staff in the union. The eligibility of staff in these positions will be determined through a mutually agreed upon arbitration process after the union is officially certified by the National Labor Relations Board.
Workers at the Museum had been organizing for over four years before the election, over concerns about job security, pay equity and greater transparency about employment policies.
“I’ve worked at The Met for 31 years and I truly love it but our expertise and our labor have real value deserving of recognition,” said Stephanie Post, a Digital Archivist, “By unionizing, we aren’t just protecting our own jobs—we are building a collective voice to ensure every staff member, now and in the future, gets the respect and protection they deserve.”
”We won because we were able to convince our colleagues that they don’t have to accept whatever is offered to them, that their experience and hard work has earned them a seat at the table,” said Rebecca Capua, a conservator who has worked at the Museum for sixteen years.
The unit is composed of staff across fifty different departments of the Museum and includes curators, conservators, librarians, sales specialists, visitor experience coordinators, development officers, archivists, digital and IT staff, and more.
Jonathan Farbowitz, a conservator said: “I’m so inspired by the way Met staff across departments have come together to make this historic victory happen.”
Tiffany Camusci, Data Analyst added: “There is no stronger feeling of solidarity than working together with my colleagues to establish our union.”
Thousands of museum workers have organized since the pandemic. Local 2110 UAW already represents workers at multiple art museums and other cultural institutions including the Museum of Modern Art, the MFA, Boston, the Guggenheim, the Whitney Museum, the Jewish Museum, the Portland Museum of Art, MASS MoCA, the Hispanic Society Museum and Library, the New York Historical Society, the Shed, the Emily Dickinson Museum, the Tenement Museum, the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Film at Lincoln Center, Film Forum and Anthology Film Archives.
“Organizing with my Met colleagues was an incredible, galvanizing experience that I will never forget,” said Alison Clark, a Collections Manager in Asian Art who has worked at the Museum for over 20 years. “Unionizing with UAW Local 2110 is only our first step and we look forward to negotiating a fair and equitable contract that reflects staff needs and priorities.”
The UAW has officially endorsed Claire Valdez for Congress in New York’s 7th Congressional District after receiving overwhelming support from the UAW Region 9A CAP Council.
“Corporations and billionaires are doing everything they can to crush the working class. The only way we can take on the crises in front of us is if we have more workers representing us in the halls of power,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “That is why I am proud to stand with UAW member Claire Valdez in her run for Congress. Claire will fight like hell for dignity, fairness, and justice for all workers. This is exactly how the labor movement can fight back against corporate greed and inequality: by electing more of our own. UAW is excited to send Claire to Congress to deliver for the working class.”
“As a UAW member and leader, Claire’s been at the bargaining table with Columbia University, one of the biggest employers in the city, one of the richest employers in the world. And it’s workers like that, workers like Claire, who have the vision and the leadership to stand up to big corporations, to big employers and fight for workers. It’s someone like that who we need in Washington,” said UAW Region 9A Director Brandon Mancilla.
UAW Region 9A represents 20,000 active and retired members in New York City. The union will mobilize thousands of members across NY-07 to help deliver a victory for New York’s working class.
New York, NY— This morning, Local 2110 of the UAW petitioned the National Labor Relations Board for a union election for nearly a thousand full-time and part-time professional and non-professional staff of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Workers cite long term pay inequities, lack of job protection and ever-increasing workloads as reasons for the unionization efforts.
Initial conversations about unionizing started in 2020, with staff sharing concerns generated by the pandemic. In 2022, the group reached out to UAW Local 2110, known nationally for organizing staff at major cultural institutions, including the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MoMA, New Museum of Contemporary Art, Guggenheim Museum, MASS MoCA, the Whitney Museum of American Art and others.
“The union effort was started during the pandemic by a group of long-time staff who know the Met extremely well and have been through multiple crises where we have lost staff and benefits.,” says Rebecca Capua, a Conservator who has been employed at the Met for 16 years. “We want our jobs at the Met to be viable long term careers — for ourselves and for those who come after us.”
“The Met is an amazing place. I’ve worked here almost 20 years, and love it,” says Alison Clark, Collections Manager. “However, the Museum often makes decisions without considering or consulting staff, such as changes to our Work from Home policy and erosion of our health and other benefits. Right now, we’re contending with several large scale capital projects that displace people and create a lot of additional work for the staff. Unionizing is the only way for us to have a strong collective voice to address concerns with the Museum.”
“Being involved in the organizing for our union has really broken down barriers between us as coworkers who work in many different departments at The Met,” says Tiffany Camusci, a Data Analyst who has worked at the Met since 2023. “As a newer employee, I got involved because a union will empower us to address our pay and our opportunities for career advancement at the Met. It’s rewarding to know that so many of my colleagues share similar concerns and want to address our workplace needs collectively. ”
The last few years have seen thousands of museum workers unionize. Employees at the MFA, Boston, the Guggenheim, the Whitney, the New Museum, the Brooklyn Museum, MASS MoCA, the Jewish Museum, The Dia Foundation, the Hispanic Society Museum and Library, the Portland Museum of Art are just some of the institutions where workers have organized with UAW Local 2110 . Many have echoed similar issues of low pay, lack of job security, and little or no transparency about institutional plans. The economic fallout caused by the global Covid-19 pandemic, which further exposed the insecurities of non-unionized workplaces, further galvanized workers to organize.
The United Auto Workers have endorsed Graham Platner for the United States Senate in Maine.
As a U.S. military veteran, oyster farmer, and proud lifelong Mainer, Graham Platner is a true fighter for the working class. His campaign is grounded in rebuilding the American dream for working people who can no longer afford a good life. His service and his background give him the leadership needed to fight for policies that put the needs of workers first and demand bold solutions to our economic and political crises.
The UAW represents nearly 2,000 workers in Maine, including marine draftsmen at Bath Iron Works, nonprofit employees, workers at the Portland Museum of Art, and graduate employees across the University of Maine System. Together, these members are part of a growing movement of working-class people demanding an economy that works for everyone — not just the wealthy few — and standing behind candidates who fight for dignity, fairness, and justice for all workers.
“Inequality is out of control in our country. Today, the top 1% have more wealth than the bottom 95% of humanity combined. Graham understands this, and at a time when too many politicians take their cues from billionaires and corporate lobbyists, he has chosen to stand with the working class,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “He’s focused on the real problems facing workers across this country — not the distractions the billionaire class uses to divide us. His campaign is rooted in the same core issues our union fights for every day: a living wage, affordable health care, retirement security, and time outside of work to actually live our lives. The UAW is proud to endorse candidates like Platner taking on the broken status quo.”
UAW Region 9A Director Brandon Mancilla added, “Graham Platner has emerged as a voice for the people of Maine fed up with the corrupting influence of the oligarchy and money in our politics. More importantly, he is building a mass movement that will not only power his campaign but will be ready to take on the challenges facing working families in Maine and across the country once in office. Our members are ready to hit the ground running with Graham’s campaign and take back the power for Maine’s working class.”
“I think he’s the real deal,” said Trent Vellela, president of the UAW’s Maine CAP Council from Bath Marine Draftsmen’s Association (BMDA-UAW Local 3999 ). “Graham directly addresses the hard issues in a straightforward and relatable way. He is clear about his principles and his plan to achieve positive outcomes for the working people of Maine. We’re excited to endorse Graham Platner for Senate and look forward to seeing him in DC.”
Full letter to CAMBA leadership led by Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso.
Full letter to Goddard leadership led by Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal.
NEW YORK— Approximately 1,850 of the 2,000 legal services workers represented by the Association of Legal Advocates and Attorneys—UAW Local 2325 (ALAA)—reached tentative agreements last week following powerful strike actions and sustained public pressure. Remaining on strike are ALAA members at CAMBA Legal Services, Goddard Riverside Law Project, and Urban Justice Center while legal workers at organizations including the Legal Aid Society, New York Legal Assistance Group, Bronx Defenders, Office of the Appellate Defender, and the Center for Appellate Litigation are working as they vote on tentative agreements.
This week, New York politicians representing neighborhoods where the remaining striking organizations serve vulnerable community members signed two letters of support, one addressed to CAMBA and the other to Goddard Riverside, respectively.
The letter to CAMBA addresses the organization’s President and CEO Valerie Barton-Richardson and Chief Legal Officer and Executive Director Elizabeth Miller, with the executive senior staff, senior vice presidents, and board all copied. It was led by Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and includes 26 elected officials such as NYC Comptroller Brad Lander, State Senators Zellnor Myrie and Jabari Brisport, City Counselors Carmen De La Rosa, Rita Joseph, and Crystal Hudson, and more.
The Goddard letter, addressed to Roderick L. Jones, President of Goddard Riverside, is signed by the elected representatives who refer cases to Goddard and, in some cases, have worked with Goddard for decades. The letter was led by Democratic Nominee for Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal, currently a State Senator, and includes every single Manhattan west side elected representative.
Every day, ALAA members provide free legal representation to tenants facing eviction, immigrants at risk of deportation, families navigating child welfare and custody cases, survivors of domestic violence, the unhoused, and people seeking access to health care, disability benefits, and other critical services.
Underfunded for decades, these legal services workers are demanding fair wages, adequate resources, and staffing to reduce burnout and high turnover—issues that directly impact the quality of representation their clients receive. Common demands across the sector focus on lifting wages and guaranteeing workload protections that ensure working class New Yorkers get the best, most experienced advocates and that these union members can afford to stay in jobs they love.
As the cost of living rises and the city’s legal services funding lags, they are taking action to ensure all New Yorkers—especially working-class communities targeted by the Trump Administration’s harmful policies—have real access to justice.
NEW YORK— On Tuesday, legal services workers with the Association of Legal Advocates and Attorneys—UAW Local 2325 (ALAA)—rallied in solidarity with striking members to demand the funding, staffing, and support they need to continue delivering justice for low-income New Yorkers.
The rally launched a picket line of 400 workers and drew support from mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, underscoring his close ties to the UAW—the first union to endorse his campaign back in December. They were also joined by State Attorney General Letitia James, New York City Council Labor Chair Carmen De La Rosa, New York City Council Member Justin Brannan, State Assembly Member Claire Valdez, and others.
“ALAA members are striking for the resources they need to represent working class New Yorkers in our city’s courts,” said UAW Region 9A Director Brandon Mancilla. “We cannot sustain the high levels of attrition, burnout, and turnover in our workplaces. This is a fight for justice for poor and working-class people all over New York City.
“We need the mayor to step up and utilize these record reserves that they’ve been bragging about to ensure that we actually ‘Trump-proof’ the city by keeping legal advocates and attorneys in their jobs,” said Mancilla.
“ALAA members are the people that keep New Yorkers in their homes. They are the people that keep families together,” said Mayoral Candidate and State Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani at today’s rally. “And it is incumbent upon every single one of us to stand with them so that they can continue to afford to do this work.
“Because for too long, we have asked people to engage in public service at the expense of themselves. Why are we struggling to attract new applications? Why are we struggling to retain the existing workforce? Because this is not work that is paying people enough to stay in this city.”
Every day, ALAA members provide free legal representation to tenants facing eviction, immigrants at risk of deportation, families navigating child welfare and custody cases, survivors of domestic violence, the unhoused, and people seeking access to health care, disability benefits, and other critical services.
“What individuals need now more than ever is someone on their side. And that is a legal aid attorney,” said Attorney General Letitia James at the rally earlier today. “Someone who will defend the rights of marginalized and vulnerable populations. Someone who will go against corporate landlords. Someone who will stand up; someone who will not be afraid.
“As a former legal aid attorney who can relate to ALAA members, I recognize that this city must pay them more so that they can pay their bills. I stand with ALAA in solidarity as they fight for decency and respect.”
Underfunded for decades, these legal services workers are demanding fair wages, adequate resources, and staffing to reduce burnout and high turnover—issues that directly impact the quality of representation their clients receive. Common demands across the sector focus on lifting wages and guaranteeing workload protections that ensure working class New Yorkers get the best, most experienced advocates and that these union members can afford to stay in jobs they love.
“I’m so proud of how much we’ve already achieved. But our fight is not over.” said UAW Local 2325 President Lisa Ohta. “The city needs to invest in our communities now more than ever. We need housing advocates, immigration defense advocates, and public defenders to ‘Trump-proof’ our city.
“This means funding our work so that we can stay in jobs we love and continue serving our communities.”
As the cost of living rises and the city’s legal services funding lags, they are taking action to ensure all New Yorkers—especially working-class communities targeted by the Trump Administration’s harmful policies—have real access to justice.
“The working class is done with business as usual. We were proud to be the first union to endorse Zohran because it’s time for a political movement that puts the working class first. Our members spoke out and turned out in a big way — and we’re just getting started. Congratulations to Region 9A Director Brandon Mancilla on an exceptional field operation. Congratulations to Zohran for building a movement, and congratulations to the working-class New Yorkers for showing the world that when we unite and stand up nobody can stand in our way!” UAW President Shawn Fain
Video statement can be found here.
“The days of taking labor’s vote for granted are over. It’s time for labor to think about a bigger vision that lifts up and includes all working-class people. UAW members stepped up to fight for an affordable New York–and went to the mat for Zohran–because he made it clear whose side he’s on: workers.” UAW Region 9A Director Brandon Mancilla
Background
In December 2024, UAW Region 9A became the first union to endorse Zohran Mamdani for mayor, recognizing that his campaign squarely confronted New York’s cost-of-living crisis. His platform—to build affordable housing, freeze rents, make buses fast and free, and provide universal childcare—echoed UAW’s demands to make life affordable for working-class New Yorkers, most of whom are renters and commuters. On May 30, UAW Region 9A reaffirmed its support, urging NYC UAW households to rank Mamdani first—making it the only major union to do so.
NEW YORK—Today, ahead of Tuesday’s primary election for New York City mayor, the UAW released a new video narrated by President Shawn Fain in an enthusiastic endorsement of Zohran Mamdani. The video, which is being targeted to the 40,000 UAW members and their households that live in New York City, directly calls out Andrew Cuomo as “another hack politician.”
“We don’t need another hack politician like Cuomo—someone who smiles for the cameras and then sells us out behind closed doors,” narrates UAW President Shawn Fain. “What we need is a national movement that unites the working class to take on the oligarchs and rebuild our democracy.
“And that is exactly the kind of movement that Zohran Mamdani is leading.”
The video is available for use by the media here.
In December 2024, UAW Region 9A became the first labor union to endorse Zohran Mamdani for mayor, recognizing that his campaign, focused on the cost-of-living crisis, would resonate with New Yorkers. Moreover, Mamdani’s commitment to build affordable housing, freeze the rent, make buses fast and free, and institute universal childcare echoed the UAW’s demands to make life more affordable for working-class New Yorkers, the majority of whom are renters and commuters.
That’s why on May 30, UAW Region 9A called on its New York City UAW households to rank Mamdani first on the ballot.
“Zohran isn’t owned by Wall Street,” says Fain in the video’s voiceover. “He’s a fighter for free transit, housing for all, universal childcare, and a $30 an hour minimum wage. He believes in democracy—not just in city elections, but on the job, in our apartment buildings, and in our neighborhoods.”
The full transcript of the UAW’s new video for Zohran Mamdani narrated by President Shawn Fain is available below:
In New York City, the UAW takes on some of the richest employers in the country.
Employers like Mercedes Benz, Columbia University, NYU, and Sony.
So we know a thing or two about how bosses act.
They view the workplace like a dictatorship.
The corporate class expects to be treated like kings.
They mock our rights.
They want us silent. Obedient. Disposable.
They expect workers to sit down and shut up.
That’s not just how they run their workplaces. It’s how they want to run our country.
That’s exactly how Andrew Cuomo ran New York when he was Governor.
He bullied and harassed workers.
He protected billionaires.
He cut Medicaid in the middle of a pandemic.
And when striking UAW members needed his support on the picket line, he was nowhere to be found.
Those days are over.
Because across New York City and all over our country, the working class is rising up.
We aren’t being obedient. We’re being fearless.
We are demanding higher wages.
Healthcare for all.
A secure retirement.
A home we can afford.
Because here is the secret truth that the billionaire class doesn’t want us to know: WE are the majority.
And when we unite and stand up, nobody can stand in our way.
Zohran isn’t owned by Wall Street.
He’s a fighter for free transit, housing for all, universal childcare, and a $30 an hour minimum wage.
He believes in democracy – not just in city elections, but on the job, in our apartment buildings, and in our neighborhoods.
This campaign isn’t just about just winning an election. It’s about taking back our power.
From the bosses.
From the landlords.
From the billionaires who think they own our future.
We’ve had enough of the Cuomos of the world.
Enough corruption.
Enough broken promises.
It’s time to organize.
It’s time to fight.
The UAW is proud to be the first union to endorse Zohran Mamdani.
Now, it’s time to elect Zohran —and build a New York for the many, not the few.
Because when the working class stands up, no one can stop us.
Detroit, MI – Leaders of the UAW reacted today to Judge William Young’s ruling to reverse the cancellation of hundreds of National Institutes of Health grants the agency had recently cut based on claims that they support certain topics including “gender ideology” or “diversity, equity and inclusion”. The UAW, which was a plaintiff in one case, represents more than 120,000 academic workers at higher education institutions across the country, many of whose work and careers were directly impacted by the terminated grants.
“These politically motivated attacks jeopardized medical and scientific progress and threatened the jobs of researchers studying climate change, renewable energy, cancer, viral pandemics, heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s,” said Brandon Mancilla, Director of UAW Region 9A, which includes New York, Massachusetts and the Northeast. “This decision is poised to restore hundreds of millions of dollars in previously allocated research funding, reanimating labs and workers focused on some of the most pressing health questions we face. We are grateful that this work can now get back on track.”
“Judge Young was right to call these cuts exactly what they are: illegal and discriminatory,” said Mike Miller, Director of UAW Region 6, which covers California, Washington and much of the western U.S. “The research UAW workers perform is essential to the development of technologies and treatments to enhance public health – and we are hopeful that that work is now able to proceed.”
“Not only did these attempted cuts impede lifesaving care for millions of Americans, but delays in treatment are projected to cost the public billions of dollars,” said Tim Smith, Director of UAW Region 8, which includes the National Institutes of Health and much of the mid-Atlantic seaboard. “We thank Judge Young for his decision, and are hopeful that we can now move forward with the research and innovation so many Americans depend on.”
