Los Angeles County Museum of Art Employees Approve Unionization by Large Margin
**Revolution in Art: LACMA Staff Triumphs in Unionization Effort**
LOS ANGELES — In a decisive move towards better working conditions and employment rights, employees at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) have overwhelmingly voted to unionize under AFSCME District Council 36, as announced on December 17, 2025. This decision follows a robust expression of solidarity and demand for change among over 300 museum workers across diverse departments including curatorial, administration, education, and preparation.
The fervor for unionization was spurred by long-standing grievances regarding inadequate compensation that fails to match the increasing cost of living in Los Angeles. The workforce, united under the banner of LACMA United, has been advocating for fairer pay, expanded benefits, and greater transparency from the museum’s administration.
In an almost unanimous decision, 96% of the staff cast their votes in favor of the union, signaling widespread support for this initiative. Jayne Manuel, a program administrator for Collections Management at LACMA, stated, “We are so ecstatic… it was near unanimous, with 96% voting for the union.”
Despite initial resistance from museum leadership, which declined to voluntarily recognize the union, the impasse led to the decisive vote. Tactics aimed at delaying or derailing the unionization efforts subsided following strong backing from Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis, who publicly advocated for workers’ rights to organize without fear of reprisal.
The successful unionization at LACMA adds it to a growing list of Los Angeles cultural institutions that have recently embraced union representation, including the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, and others.
LACMA, noted as the largest art museum in the western United States with a formidable collection and nearly a million visitors annually, is amid a significant $720 million campus redevelopment. Yet, the new union’s announcement emphasized a need for internal stability, highlighting that investment in staff welfare holds equal importance for the museum’s prosperous future.
As they anticipate the next chapter, LACMA’s newly-formed union looks to establish a bargaining committee and conduct member surveys to prioritize negotiation points for their upcoming contract discussions. “After the holidays, we’ll hit the ground running,” Manuel promised, indicating a swift transition from victory to action. The LACMA staff’s collective efforts serve as a potent reminder of the impact of unified advocacy in the cultural sector.