Museum Reaches First Collective Bargaining Agreement with AFSCME District Council 47
Employees of the Philadelphia Museum of Art reunited at the museum following the ratification of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the museum and Local 397, AFSCME District Council 47. The CBA reflects the museum’s investment in its staff, including significant pay raises for all employees, longevity pay increases, and a larger percentage of employee healthcare premiums paid by the museum, among other contract priorities.
Highlights of the CBA include:
• Higher Pay: Six across-the-board increases over the 3-year term of the agreement, totaling 14%: 3% at ratification; 3% on March 1, 2023; 2% on July 1, 2023; 2% on October 1, 2023; 2% on March 1, 2024; and 2% on July 1, 2024.
• Retroactive Wage Increases: The first 3% wage increase will be retroactive to July 1, 2022.
• Higher Compensation Minimums: A $42,000 minimum for salaried employees, up from the lowest current salary of $38,000 – a 10.5% increase. It also provides a $16.75 minimum for hourly wage employees (an increase from $15 per hour).
• Bonuses for Employee Longevity: Effective July 1, 2023, employees working 25 hours per week or more will receive longevity pay increases in the amount of $500 for every five years of service, up to 20 years, and employees working less than 25 hours per week will receive longevity pay increases in the amount of $250 for every 5 years of service, up to 20 years.
• Increased Contributions to Healthcare Premiums: The museum will increase the amount of health care premiums it covers from approximately 90% to 95% for its high-deductible health plan (HDHP). (This is the plan selected by approximately 90% of union employees and 85% of all staff who opt into coverage.)
• Parental Leave: The museum will provide four weeks of paid parental leave to employees based on specified eligibility criteria.
Leslie Anne Miller, Chair of the Board of Trustees at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, said: “We are pleased to have been able to work with the union and the City of Philadelphia to reach a strong agreement that works for everyone. We would like to thank the City, Mayor Kenney, and Deputy Mayor Lazer for their meaningful contributions to this process.”
Sasha Suda, the museum’s new George D. Widener Director and CEO, stated, “We believe that the staff of the PMA is the foundation of the museum’s future. Unions can work in partnership with management to ensure that a thriving institution is also a safe and sustainable employer. We look forward to working with the entire reunited team, as we begin a new era of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, in the service of all Philadelphians, and as a national and international destination for art.”
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We are Philadelphia’s art museum. A world-renowned collection. A landmark building. A place that welcomes everyone. We bring the arts to life, inspiring visitors—through scholarly study and creative play—to discover the spirit of imagination that lies in everyone. We connect people with the arts in rich and varied ways, making the experience of the Museum surprising, lively, and always memorable. We are committed to inviting visitors to see the world—and themselves—anew through the beauty and expressive power of the arts.
For additional information, contact the Communications Department of the Philadelphia Museum of Art by phone at 215-684-7860 or by e-mail at pressroom@philamuseum.org. The museum is located on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway at 26th Street. For general information, call 215-763-8100.