City Council Holds Hearing on Brooklyn Museum Layoffs, Urges Exploration of All Options

# Brooklyn Museum Layoffs Spark Outcry from Workers and City Officials

## Museum Faces Budget Shortfall, Implements Staff Reductions

In a heated special oversight hearing at New York City Hall on February 28, Brooklyn Museum workers, union representatives, and City Council members urged the institution to explore all possible alternatives before carrying out its recently announced layoffs. The museum plans to cut 47 full- and part-time positions in response to a **$10 million budget deficit**, a decision that has sparked criticism from employees and labor advocates.

The hearing was convened by the **Committee on Civil Service and Labor**, chaired by Council Member **Carmen De La Rosa**, to assess the fairness of the museum’s layoffs and explore whether measures could have been taken to mitigate the impact on workers.

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## Workers Rally Against Job Cuts

Earlier in the week, museum employees—represented by **District Council 37 Local 1502** and **UAW Local 2110**—held a **protest rally outside the Brooklyn Museum**. Hundreds of supporters gathered to condemn what they view as an **unfair and avoidable decision** that puts jobs, salaries, pensions, and benefits at risk.

“**My colleagues and I were shocked and saddened,**” said **June Lei**, Local 1502 secretary and full-time producer at the museum. “The institution we love has abandoned its long-held values in favor of corporate-style decision-making.”

Union leaders argue that management made **no serious attempt to explore alternative solutions**—such as voluntary furloughs or buyouts—which could have helped **reduce expenses without immediate job cuts**.

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## City Officials Question Museum’s Actions

During the February 28 hearing, **Laurie Cumbo**, **Commissioner of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA)**, faced pointed questions from City Council members about the museum’s funding structure and labor policies.

Council Member De La Rosa **asked if institutions receiving city funds are required to have contingency plans** in place before implementing layoffs.
– “We do not have a contingency plan requirement,” Cumbo admitted.
– However, she defended Brooklyn Museum leadership, claiming that job cuts were meant to **prioritize the institution’s long-term health** and address a **decline in private and corporate donations**.

City Council members **disputed this justification**, pointing out that there were still potential avenues to address the shortfall **without immediately resorting to drastic layoffs**.

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## Brooklyn Museum Leadership Absent from Hearing

Despite the significance of the hearing, **Brooklyn Museum Director Anne Pasternak** and other members of museum leadership **did not attend**. Instead, Pasternak sent a **letter to Council Member De La Rosa**, describing the layoffs as **“unavoidable”** and attributing financial difficulties in part to **insufficient city funding**.

The museum argues that **baseline public funding remains stagnant** despite rising operational costs. However, union leaders say the situation is **largely a result of financial mismanagement** by museum leadership.

– **“The museum has spent millions on marketing consultants, hiring outside firms, and adding high-paid management positions,”** said union organizer Maida Rosenstein.
– The unions also **accuse the museum of “union-busting” tactics**, alleging that certain layoffs were **strategically targeted to weaken collective bargaining strength**.

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## Controversy Over Salaries and Budget Priorities

Another point of contention is the **discrepancy between executive compensation and frontline worker salaries**.

– **Anne Pasternak, the museum’s director, earns over $1 million annually**—a salary that exceeds the combined earnings of all 19 DC 37 members who are losing their jobs.
– **Some laid-off employees reportedly make as little as $30,000 per year**.

Union leaders **demanded that museum executives take pay cuts** or temporary furloughs instead of laying off lower-salaried staff.

**“If every highly paid executive took one week’s unpaid leave, we could save multiple jobs,”** argued DC 37 Executive Director **Henry A. Garrido**.

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## Calls for Alternative Solutions

City officials and labor representatives emphasized that **layoffs should be a last resort**, and urged the museum to **consider alternative revenue strategies** before proceeding with job cuts.

Potential solutions included:
1. **Charging for special programs** such as the museum’s _First Saturdays_ events, which were **recently eliminated** as a cost-saving measure.
2. **Boosting tourism revenue** by leveraging partnerships with **NYC Tourism and Conventions Bureau**.
3. **Reevaluating the institution’s financial priorities** to focus on protecting existing workers.

Council Member De La Rosa agreed, stating that museum leadership **had not exhausted all available options** before making the decision to lay off staff.