Obama Foundation staff launch union drive over workload and benefit cuts
Employees of the Obama Foundation and the Obama Presidential Center have begun organizing a union, citing rising workloads and reduced benefits.
Nearly four months after the Obama Presidential Center opened, staff from the foundation, the museum and remote locations have moved to form a union called Obama Workers United, aligned with AFSCME Council 31. The open letter signed by 68 employees points to expanding workloads, a lack of pay raises, rising health-care expenses, reduced vacation time and stalled promotions. Union organizers are gathering signatures and handing out buttons and stickers to rally colleagues.
The foundation responded with a statement affirming its commitment to the right of workers to organize and expressing a desire to work collaboratively. The effort follows a broader trend of museum and cultural workers in Chicago seeking collective bargaining rights.
Why it matters
One outlet highlights growing labor tensions at a high-profile nonprofit and could affect how cultural institutions handle staff benefits.
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