Bargaining at the Art Museum: Building Equity into New Union Contracts

This paper seeks to identify the explicit and implicit equity-focused provisions that nascent art museum unions build into legally enforceable contracts. Using a framework of social reproduction feminism, this paper draws from document analysis and qualitative interviews to argue that by laying the foundation for more equitable living wages, safer work experiences, and greater control over museum operations, museum workers are advancing social justice in the workplace and beyond. Results of this study can further serve as concrete examples for building equity through ongoing and future contract negotiations in the museum and other not-for-profit sectors.