The San Francisco Museum of Trendy Artwork has minimize 29 positions, constituting practically 8 % of the workforce, a choice that has drawn criticism from union representatives amid ongoing contract negotiations. Of these affected, 26 are members of the Workplace and Skilled Staff Worldwide Union Native 29, which represents a spread of museum staffers.
In an announcement, the museum’s director, Christopher Bedford, mentioned the cuts, which embrace 20 full-time positions and 9 part-time roles, have been made due to monetary challenges associated to the museum’s operations.
“Though this resolution was vital, we acknowledge the impacts on affected people, and have offered severance packages, together with enhanced packages to our union members above what is printed in our collective bargaining settlement,” Bedford states within the letter.
In an announcement to an area outlet, union official Nat Naylor described the discover of the workers cuts as abrupt, saying the museum’s administration gave lower than a day’s warning and no official likelihood to debate with management beforehand. “We weren’t given the prospect to evaluate the rationale, talk about options, or negotiate severance phrases,” he mentioned.
Workers recognized for redundancy have been contacted Wednesday morning. Whereas particulars stay restricted, many who’re affected reportedly maintain public going through or customer service roles. A publish revealed on the official Instagram account of the museum’s unionized workers disclosed that an all-staff assembly was scheduled with the museum’s director Christopher Bedford on Wednesday to handle workers after the notices have been distributed.
It’s nonetheless unclear whether or not staffers holding curatorial or senior-level administration roles have been included within the cuts.
Amid contract talks, the union has expressed concern over each the method and the potential long-term impression on the museum’s workforce, which consists of greater than 300 individuals.
The job cuts come because the museum continues to navigate monetary and operational challenges following the pandemic, with labor relations taking part in a central function within the establishment’s choices. In November 2023, the museum minimize 20 workers positions, eliminating seven roles and leaving 13 vacancies unfilled, citing a pointy drop in attendance reportedly linked to broader declines in Bay Space foot visitors because the pandemic. On the time, Bedford described the transfer as a vital response to the museum’s present monetary realities.
Within the fiscal 12 months 2024, the museum reported an working deficit of $3.6 million, a lower from the $7.6 million deficit within the earlier 12 months. SFMOMA, alongside the de Younger, and the Asian Artwork Museum have been amongst a number of West Coast establishments to lose key federal funding final month amid the White Home’s cuts to humanities grants.
