Workers at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art voted overwhelmingly (96%) to unionize with AFSCME District Council 36.

The two-day union election took place electronically Dec. 15-16, facilitated by the American Arbitration Association, after LACMA rejected workers’ requests for voluntary recognition, a process commonly used for public sector workers and approved by the National Labor Relations Board. Instead, LACMA pushed for an election and leaned into union avoidance tactics. The actions ceased after Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis, 1st District, sent a letter to LACMA in support of staff.

“I’m looking forward to having a stronger camaraderie with my fellow colleagues and having a seat at the table where we can have an open and honest dialogue with upper management as front-of-house staff,” visitor services associate Ryan Baker said.

The new staff union, LACMA United, will represent over 300 workers across the museum, from curators and administrators to educators and art preparators — employees who care for the collections, develop exhibitions, maintain the museum’s infrastructure and engage with audiences every day. The achievement positions LACMA as the latest institution in Los Angeles to unionize alongside the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Academy Museum and Foundation, and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and La Brea Tar Pits, all of whose staff won voluntary recognition of their unions with Cultural Workers United and AFSCME District Council 36.

LACMA workers first announced their unionization efforts on Oct. 29, citing issues such as lack of transparency, a lack of a voice on the job, high turnover and wages that have not kept up with the ising cost of living. In a letter to colleagues and senior management, workers also noted that as the museum neared completion of the new David Geffen Galleries – a project estimated to cost more than $700 million – ensuring the stability of staff should be equally crucial to the future of the museum.

LACMA attracts nearly 1 million visitors annually and holds 150,000 works spanning from ancient history to the present. By winning the union election, LACMA workers reaffirmed their determination to have a voice in decisions that affect working conditions, and to harness collective power to fight back against attacks on the cultural sector.

“Now that we have union recognition, I look forward to collaborating with leadership to usher in a healthier, more sustainable culture for our dedicated staff,” program administrator Jayne Manuel said. “As unionized museum workers, we, alongside management, have the ability to shift the arts and culture field into a sector that builds a thriving workforce, rather than a sector known for its hardships.”

“An independent election to determine whether staff would be represented by AFSCME Cultural Workers United, District Council 36, has concluded,” LACMA said in a statement sent to the Beverly Press. “The results confirm that DC 36 will be certified as the bargaining representative for staff. The museum is committed to working collaboratively with DC 36 and staff in a spirit of mutual respect, open dialogue and shared dedication to the museum’s mission, honoring the will of the majority of voters.”