Chicago Museum of Science and Industry workers authorize strike
Chicago Museum of Science and Industry workers authorize strike
00:27
Union employees at Chicago’s Griffin Museum of Science and Industry voted to authorize a strike.
MSI employees formed a union with the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) two years ago, but they still don’t have a first contract with the museum.
The union said more than 120 workers it represents haven’t gotten a raise since 2022. The union said the employees are often forced to work second jobs or skip means to support their families. Pay at the museum starts at the city’s minimum wage of $16.60 per hour.
The union said, in addition to refusing fair pay increases, management also refuses to offer improvements in vacation or sick time, holiday pay for part-time employees, premium pay for bilingual employees, or any paid parental leave for workers.
The vote to authorize a strike allows the union’s bargaining team to call a strike if they deem it necessary during ongoing contract negotiations.