Let the end-of-the-negotiations parade begin.
The Please Touch Museum and its unionized workforce have finalized their first collective bargaining agreement, marking a significant step for the institution’s employees. After 16 months of negotiations, workers with Please Touch Museum United (PTMU) voted on Sunday, November 24, to ratify the contract, solidifying their membership in the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) District Council 47, Local 397.
The union’s journey began in March 2023 when workers successfully organized, joining a growing movement of unionization efforts in museums and cultural institutions nationally and locally, joining the ranks of unionized workers at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Penn Museum.
AFSCME DC 47 President April Gigetts explained in an email with Grid the drivers behind this trend among workers at museums and cultural institutions. “Museum and cultural workers have traditionally accepted low pay and precarious conditions as a trade-off for doing mission-driven work,” she said. “But those conditions aren’t sustainable for people who need a paycheck to live. As museums become more racially- and economically-diverse workplaces, workers are increasingly demanding the same rights and protections as those in other industries.”
Unionized museum staff often cite the need for better pay, improved benefits and greater transparency in workplace policies. Gigetts added that the success of unions like PTMU provides inspiration for other institutions, fueling a growing wave of unionization efforts.
The new four-year contract includes a 13.3% increase in minimum bargaining unit pay, raising it from $15 per hour to $17 per hour, with additional raises bringing it to $18.92 per hour by the end of the agreement. Workers in other job classifications will see across-the-board raises of 8 to 11%, along with three guaranteed pay increases of 3%, 4% and 4%. The contract also introduces longevity pay bonuses at service milestones of three, five, 10 and 15 years. Additional benefits include reduced health insurance cost-shares, four weeks of paid parental leave and improved policies for sick and vacation time.
“These gains reflect a fundamental shift in how museums and cultural institutions value their workers,” said Gigetts. “Please Touch Museum has such a special place in the hearts of Philadelphia families, and the workers are a huge part of that experience. Knowing they now have guaranteed raises, job security, more affordable benefits and the ability to build sustainable careers will only enhance the joy of visiting this incredible museum.”
In a joint statement, Please Touch Museum and AFSCME DC 47 highlighted the collaborative nature of the bargaining process: “This agreement was achieved through collaborative good faith bargaining, which resulted in a fair contract that meets the needs of the Museum and its employees. Together, we will continue to deliver the mission of the Museum for the children and families of Philadelphia and beyond.”
