Field Museum employees win union election (Chicago)

 

Workers at Chicago’s Field Museum have voted to unionize with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

The employees voted 175-66 to affiliate with AFSCME’s Council 31, the union said. It said the National Labor Relations Board counted ballots Thursday that were cast during an election last month.

The vote means nearly 300 employees at the museum will become union members. Leaders of the organizing drive said the lopsided vote came despite an aggressive anti-union campaign from museum management.

Workers chose to establish a single bargaining unit to cover a range of job titles, organizing committee members said in announcing the election’s outcome.

Council 31 has scored a string of organizing victories involving workers at the Art Institute of Chicago and its school and the Newberry Library.seum employees have won their bid at a union, marking the second victory by workers at a major Chicago museum after workers at the Art Institute of Chicago won its union election in January 2022. Employees at the Field voted 175 in favor of the union and 66 against. The nearly 300 Field Museum employees — which include groundskeepers, visitor service representatives, research scientists and housekeeping staff — will form Field Museum Workers United and be represented by the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees Council 31.