Mission Statement
The Art Institute of Chicago Workers United advocates for an equitable, sustainable, and transparent workplace for S/AIC employees at every level. We believe our institutions’ visions of an inspired and just society must begin with the inclusive, humane, and respectful treatment of staff. Actively working against systemic racism, we center the experiences and voices of BIPOC staff and endeavor to transform our institution’s colonialist legacy.
We, the members of the union, assert that all Art Institute workers deserve:
a voice in the decisions that affect us
better wages and benefits
transparency around compensation and advancement, and equal access to these opportunities for all regardless of ability, class, gender, or race
safe working conditions, reasonable hours, and adequate resources to perform our jobs
a workplace free of harassment and microaggression
The Art Institute of Chicago Workers United believes in the museum’s and school’s missions and their value to the communities we serve. United with one another, we aim to realize our institutions’ potentials as true leaders among their peers.
Why a Union?
Unions are the means to a very important end: empowering workers to engage in fair and transparent conversation with their employer on equal terms. The actions of the leadership at the Art Institute of Chicago have demonstrated that our concerns and needs are neither prioritized nor understood. Forming our union will ensure our place at the bargaining table, where we will have an equal say in the decisions that affect our well-being, our ability to do our jobs, and our opportunities to advance in our careers.
When employees unionize, their jobs generally pay more than non-union jobs and they get better health care and benefits. Unionized staff at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, American Museum of Natural History, MIT, Chicago Public Library, Harvard, the Library of Congress, and many other cultural and educational institutions have been able to improve their wages, benefits, and rights at the workplace effectively through collective bargaining.
We have broad support from workers across the museum and school—from those who have been here for ten years to those who have been here for ten days. Started by a small group of dedicated staff, our union is growing every day toward a strong majority of the S/AIC workforce. If we create an environment in which all staff are protected and can speak openly, we will strengthen our institutions, reducing turnover, raising morale, and creating a community that stands in solidarity.