IL State Rep. DuBuclet Lauds Griffin Museum of Science & Industry Workers’ Inaugural Union Contract

CHICAGO – State Rep. Kimberly DuBuclet, D-Chicago, is standing in strong solidarity with employees of the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry following Wednesday night’s announcement that contract negotiations between workers and museum leadership have successfully concluded.

“Our museums play a vital role in advancing scientific innovation, inspiring lifelong learning and ensuring that Chicago remains a world-class city,” said DuBuclet. “Their impact demands that the people who keep these institutions running are treated with dignity and fairly compensated. At a time when senseless tariffs and sweeping cuts to the arts from the White House have increased the cost of living and placed America’s cultural institutions under real threat, this agreement is proof that with tenacity and sustained effort, progress is possible. When workers are empowered, entire communities thrive.”

Rep. DuBuclet has supported the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry Workers United since its formation in 2023, part of a broader wave of museum unionization efforts that began in Chicago at the Art Institute in 2022. Wednesday night’s contract approval delivers meaningful gains for workers, including annual 3% pay raises, holiday pay for part-time employees, updated remote work policies, a grievance procedure, and more. These raises mark the first compensation increases for the museum’s workers since 2022.

The contract represents the culmination of years of advocacy to improve workplace conditions and address issues first spotlighted during the pandemic, a moment that helped spark museum unionization movements nationwide.

“Museums and other cultural institutions play an important role in our communities, and the workers who make our museums happen deserve a voice through a strong union. We appreciate Rep. DuBuclet’s support for workers’ rights and the movement to lift up all working people, in the cultural sector and beyond,” said Roberta Lynch, Executive Director, AFSCME Council 3.

“This contract is not only a victory for the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry’s workforce, but for everyone who believes in the American Dream, a dream built by union workers who fought for better lives for their families, not by corrupt billionaires or out-of-touch politicians,” said DuBuclet. “As Chairwoman of the Illinois House Committee on Museums, Arts, Culture and Entertainment, I will continue to speak out against any attacks on our museums, our arts community and the indispensable workers who keep these institutions accessible to the public.”