Museum Workers Advocacy Day 2022
Wednesday March 2, 2022We invite museum workers of all specialties and levels of experience, as well as those who support museum workers to participate in advocating for equitable industry changes like salary transparency and the abolition of the practice of unpaid internships.
Scheduled Events
Opening Remarks
Hosted by NEMPN
10:30 am ET | 7:30 am PTLearn more about Museum Workers Advocacy Day, what we are looking to do, and what to expect!
Union Teach In
Hosted by NEMPN, AICWU, PMA Union, and more.
While the pandemic exacerbates historic inequities in the workplace, worker calls for change are continually responded to with lip service and empty action. No amount of solidarity statements and $2 raises will address the structural roots of white supremacy, classism, and ableism that workers face. Hence, the influx of unionization not only within the museum, arts, and culture field, but across all industries within the United States.Unionized workers are more likely to have higher wages and better working conditions than nonunion workers. It is high time for all workers' voices to be authentically represented. Come join union members and organizers from across the museum, arts, and culture sphere to learn more about the unionization process. Together we can move forward towards a safer, more equitable field for all.Partners:Adam Rizzo (he/him/his), Coordinator of College and Pre-Professional Programs and Museum Educator, Philadelphia Museum of Art; President of Local 397, DC 47, PMA UnionAimée-Josiane Twagirumukiza (they/them) , co-founder of Queer the Land, President of the National LGBTQ Workers Center, trainer with the Midwest Academy, member of the UAW Local 2320Amanda Tobin Ripley (she/her), former Associate Director of Education, MASS MoCA (UAW Local 2110)Maro Elliott (she/her), Manager of Institutional Giving, MASS MoCA (UAW Local 2110)Molly Szymanski (she/her), Art Institute of Chicago Workers United (AICWU), AFSCME Council 31Oto Rivers formerly with Field Organizer for United Campus Workers of Georgia (UCWGA Local 3265)
Part I: Panel Discussion
11 am ET / 8 am PTWe will be discussing the unionization process, distribution of power, risk assessment, and more. Chatham house rules apply.Part II: Workshop
3 pm ET / 12 pm PTLearn strategies for unionizing and have the opportunity to raise questions in small group discussions. Chatham house rules apply.** Please note that the same link is being used for both discussions.**
Enacting Change Locally
Hosted by NYC Museum and Cultural Workers
5 pm ET / 2 pm PTJoin museum workers and advocates from Ohio, New York, and Philadelphia for a conversation on the various paths you can take to improve museum workers’ working conditions: from public email campaigns to grassroots coalition building, aligning with other labor and community groups, how-to contact city council members/electives, and when nothing else works, alternative strategies (strikes, boycotts, petitions).Panelists:
Sarah Marsom (she/her), Dismantle Preservation, Columbus, OhioAntonio Serna (he/him/his) NYC Museum Workers Organizing Committee, New York City, NYAdam Rizzo, (he/him/his), Coordinator of College and Pre-Professional Programs and Museum Educator, Philadelphia Museum of Art; President of Local 397, DC 47, PMA Union
Yoga for Museum Workers
Hosted by NEMPN
6:30 pm ET / 3:30 pm PTJoin fellow museum worker and yoga instructor, Jenna Green, for a 30 minute flow focused on self-care and focusing on you! All proceeds go to the Museum Workers Speak Mutual Aid Fund.
Museum Worker Happy Hour
Hosted by NYC Museum and Cultural Workers
7 pm ET / 4 pm PTJoin mary oleary of NYC Museum Workers Happy Hour for a virtual informal museum workers gathering via Zoom!
Ways to Participate
Museum Worker Advocacy Day Merch
Designed by VEX Group and NEMPN
Snag some limited edition merch in support of museum workers.All proceeds go to the Museum Workers Speak Mutual Aid Fund.
NEMPN Internship Fund
Sponsored by NEMPN's Sweatober Campaign
The National EMP Network (NEMPN) Internship Fund seeks to award need-based stipends to support emerging museum professionals faced with financial barriers as they pursue unpaid or undercompensated internships in the field.
2022 Salary Transparency Informational Database
Hosted by NEMPN's Advocacy Committee
Following the immensely helpful salary transparency spreadsheet from Art + Museum Transparency in 2019, we are starting a new salary transparency database (with their blessing) for 2022! Free and accessible to all who are interested.
Postcard Mailing
Hosted by NEMPN, VEX Group and Dismantle Preservation
We want to show AAM, our largest US-based professional organization, how many museum professionals really want to see them commit to changes in equity: salary transparency on their jobs board, a pledge to stop sharing unpaid internships, and a more concrete plan to stop unpaid internships in the museum field.Join us in a field-wide postcard mail-in to share our thoughts with the folks at AAM! You can request your own pack of postcards to fill out yourself or donate to have someone fill out and send out postcards on your behalf!
Museum Worker Mutual Aid + PPE Drive
Hosted by NEMPN and Museum Workers Speak
Thanks to a partnership between NEMPN and Museum Workers Speak, we will be opening back up the lottery application for $500 micro-grants and personal protective equipment (PPE) to support museum workers who are working with the general public with limited to no support from their institutions.