The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco Announce Layoffs of 12 Employees

The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (FAMSF), which includes the de Young and Legion of Honor museums, has recently laid off 12 workers due to a notable 20% decline in museum visitors since the COVID-19 pandemic and increasing operational costs. This move affects about 3.5% of FAMSF’s workforce. The Service Employees International Union 1021 (SEIU 1021) revealed that four union positions are among those affected, including a public programs coordinator and a museum technician.

While these layoffs do not involve city-funded roles like security and maintenance staff, they occur as FAMSF deals with ongoing financial challenges. The museums face pressure from past budget proposals that suggested a drastic reduction in city-funded positions to adjust for a reduced operating budget imposed by former Mayor London Breed. However, a spokesperson clarified these layoffs are unrelated to those budget proposals.

The city’s new mayor, Daniel Lurie, who took office in January, signed a budget that introduced a modest increase in museum funding, focusing primarily on covering utilities and insurance costs. Despite these increases, ongoing tourism decline and pandemic aftereffects have compelled FAMSF to take action to close financial gaps, similar to recent layoffs in other museums like the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.