The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) in Toronto is closed today, On March 27, approximately 430 unionized workers to demand significant wage increases and contract protections for part-time workers.
Members of Public Service Employees Union of Ontario (OPSEU/SEFPO) Chapter 535, which includes museum AGO staff, assistant curators, archivists, food and hospitality staff, visitor services, researchers and technicians, went on strike shortly after midnight. yesterday, rallying outside the museum’s entrance in downtown Toronto, chanting “Art is for everyone and a living wage too” and “Show Me the Monet!”
Today is the second day of picketing, which has effectively halted activities at the organization since the strike began.
In the last 10 For months, unionized workers have been negotiating with AGO management, fighting for higher wages, standardized hours and contract security for temporary and occasional part-time workers. Additionally, the union is demanding access to part-time benefits, which currently lack paid vacation, sick days and parental leave.
“It’s very difficult to live your life day to day, paycheck to paycheck, and that’s a really precarious existence for over 60% of us. [union] Having members who work at the AGO,” said Meagan Christou, an art installer and collections specialist who has worked at the museum for seven years. Hyperallergic. During his time at the AGO, Christou explained that his work schedule has been consistent, changing according to the schedule of the exhibition.
“I have also been scheduled to work and taken away from my job,” said Christou, adding that there is currently no mechanism to prevent the museum from hiring outside work instead of relying on its own staff.
Paul Ayers, president of OPSEU/SEFPO Local 535, also pointed to current salary discrepancies between AGO employees and the organization’s CEO Stephan Jost, whose salary was over CAD$404,000 (approximately $297,600) in 2022. Because there is no consistent basis. The entry-level wage for part-time workers at AGO, some workers currently earn as little as $12.65 CAD ($9.32 USD).
According to 2023 data from the Ontario Living Wage Network, residents of Toronto and the surrounding area need to earn at least CAD $25.05 an hour to live comfortably.
The job action is just the latest disruption at AGO, which has been the site of several protests accusing the Canadian cultural institution of suppressing Indigenous voices and silencing pro-Palestinian views following the recent departures of Indigenous commissioners Wanda Nanibush and Taqralik Partridge. Earlier this month, union workers rallied outside the museum to protest the marginal progress made since their first bargaining session in May 2023.
said Christou Hyperallergic that another action of the union has been the creation of a joint committee for equity issues; however, the AGO management was “not interested” in the proposal.
AGO Communications Director Laura Quinn said Hyperallergic that the museum is “hopeful” that it will reach an agreement with the union soon.
“The museum remains willing to negotiate and fully available to work constructively with employee representatives to reach a reasonable and fair agreement,” Quinn said.
But the striking workers have made it clear that they will not accept until the organization commits to the date and time of the next bargaining session.
“We’re really looking for public pressure to tell our employer to come back to the table as soon as possible, to go back and get a good deal for our members,” Christou said.
