Two New England Museums Unionize with UAW Local 2110

Staff at the SPACE Gallery in Portland announced that the organization voluntarily recognized their new union with UAW Local 2110. The 21 staff workers filed to join UAW 2110 on February 27 and received voluntary recognition shortly thereafter.

"Our decision to unionize is a reflection of our institutional values and principles at SPACE and a natural step forward for our nearly 25-year-old nonprofit organization,” the unionized staff said in a statement. “We believe that joining UAW 2110 will only strengthen SPACE, solidify our future, and ensure we continue presenting arts, artists, and ideas for years to come. It is significant to us all to be joining the wider labor movement now, at a time when so many creative spaces and institutions are under attack.

Employees at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston also won voluntary recognition shortly after the workers went to museum leadership in early April. They are now gearing up for contract negotiations, seeking better pay and other job protections. Local 2110 will represent just over 90 ICA employees, in roles ranging from visitor services to development to curation.

Carter Seggev, an events coordinator at the museum, said seeing fellow Local 2110 members at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston go through their own unionization process inspired the ICA workers. “I like the ICA a lot. It’s a fun workplace, and I would love to have more of a voice in making sure that everyone is being considered and everyone’s needs are being taken into account,” he said. “For me personally, that’s been the biggest driving force.”

In the News:

• Boston Globe: Workers quietly unionize at ICA in Boston, and management quickly recognizes the union (May 3)
• Hoodline: ICA Staff opt to Unionize with UAW Local 2110 (May 3)
• Maine AFL-CIO: SPACE Gallery Workers in Portland Unionize with UAW (May 4)

MaineBiz: Employees at Portland gallery vote to unionize (May 7)