Mystic Seaport Museum workers vote narrowly to unionize; result challenged
Five ballots have been challenged, leaving the outcome of the NLRB election unresolved.
Labor and Capital
Workers at the Mystic Seaport Museum in Connecticut voted narrowly to unionize, according to federal labor records, but the outcome remains unresolved due to challenged ballots that could affect the final result.
A tally issued by the National Labor Relations Board shows 42 workers voted in favor of joining AFSCME Council 4, while 40 voted against, in the April 16 election. Five ballots were challenged, a number large enough to swing the outcome of the election.
The election covered 89 eligible employees at the museum, with 82 ballots counted. The NLRB case, filed March 20, remains open as officials review the challenged votes.
The organizing effort began earlier this year when AFSCME Council 4 filed a petition with the labor board seeking to represent workers at the maritime museum in Mystic.
Union organizers said employees were seeking a stronger voice in workplace decisions, citing concerns over job security, wages and healthcare, as well as questions about the museum’s finances and recent program cuts.
“Mystic Seaport Museum is a great place to work, but it could be an incredible place to work,” Ashley Giordano, a museum docent involved in the organizing effort, said in a statement released by the union. “We need more protections for our staff and a voice to ensure the museum continues to be a place that visitors want to go to!”
The proposed bargaining unit includes full-time and regular part-time employees at the museum, excluding managers, supervisors and certain specialized roles, according to the labor board filing.
It was not immediately clear when the challenged ballots would be resolved or when a final certification decision could be made.
New York Transit Museum workers vote to unionize
Workers secured full support in the election, a rare outcome that strengthens their position heading into contract talks.
Adam Schrader
The news comes after New York Transit Museum workers voted to unionize in an election overseen by the NLRB, the latest cultural institution workforce to organize amid a broader push for labor protections across museums and arts organizations.
The NYTM Collective said it had won its March 27 election with 100% of ballots cast in favor of unionization among the bargaining unit's voting members.
“We are happy to announce that we won our NLRB election today, with 100% of the unit, clearly showing to management that our union is strong, inclusive and representative of the workforce at the museum,” the collective said. “Thank you to everyone who made this victory at the New York Transit Museum possible!”
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