A total of 40 state legislators from Cumberland and York counties have signed a letter calling on the Portland of Museum of Art to recognize the legal right of its employees to unionize.
In September, some of the PMA’s 100 employees petitioned the National Labor Relations Board for permission to hold a union election, citing low pay rates and job security as reasons for organizing. The workers hope to form a union with the Technical, Office and Professional Union Local 2110, affiliated with the United Auto Workers.
But the PMA contested which employees can and cannot be included in the local bargaining unit. Specifically, the museum disagreed about the inclusion of 29 gallery and security workers.
In the letter, addressed to the PMA board, the lawmakers wrote, “The decision to organize is a fundamental right and should be up to the workers to make that decision free from interference. This is the workers’ decision to make.”
The letter continued, “By forming a union, they believe they can better use their collective voice to help improve their working conditions, communication between workers and management and the valuable service this important institution provides to the community.”
Rep. Mike Sylvester, co-chair of the Legislature’s Labor and Housing Committee, was the lead signatory on the letter.
In response, the PMA on Wednesday issued a statement saying, “While the PMA fully supports the right of workers to unionize, PMA management believes that a union at the museum would have a negative effect on the existing level of communication and cooperation between staff and management.”
The NLRB recently determined that workers can vote for their union via a mail ballot election, according to a news release. Ballots will be mailed out to PMA workers on Nov. 30 and must be returned to the board by Dec. 21. The board is expected to count ballots on Dec. 22.
The board has ruled that “gallery ambassadors” will be included and eligible to vote in the election. However, PMA officials have said they plan to appeal the decision to include gallery ambassadors, who are 23 of the lowest-paid employees at the museum.
The board found that “security associates” are guards, and cannot be included in the same union as other employees. Security associates have the right to organize their own separate union.
In October, the PMA employees who are trying to unionize — including curators, educators, gallery personnel and security workers earning $14 an hour — accused the museum of “anti-worker tactics.”
Maine’s largest public art institution denied the criticism.
The Technical, Office and Professional Union, Local 2110 of the United Auto Workers includes about 3,000 workers in other museums, colleges and offices, primarily in New York.
