Monterey Bay Aquarium workers announce plans to unionize.

A group of employees at the Monterey Bay Aquarium gathered on their lunch break on Tuesday, Jan. 14, holding signs on the corner of Wave Street and David Avenue to announce their plans to unionize.

“We don't have any guaranteed raises in place at this time, so we have no way to make sure that each year we're keeping up with inflation,” says Tara Parkman, an IT Systems Analyst at the aquarium. “We want to work together with the aquarium to build something better.”

Aquarium workers, organizing as Monterey Bay Aquarium Workers United (MBAWU) from across the departments, released a letter announcing their plans to form a union with representation from the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 57 and Culture Workers United (CWU). 

AFSCME is one of the largest labor unions in the country, with over one million members, representing public sector workers, including those in healthcare, social services, corrections, and other state and local government sectors.

Their group also includes workers whose roles focus on cultural institutions and activities, such as museums, theaters, historical sites, and, of course, aquariums.

“I think the big thing is just giving everyone a voice and making sure that we all have the ability to speak about what we need, and really help us earn a living wage in this area,” says Evan Firl, a senior aquarist in the jellyfish exhibit who has been with the aquarium for nine years.

According to the MBAWU organizing committee, workers are forming their union to advocate for fair pay, workplace flexibility, comprehensive benefits and better accessibility accommodations. The new union would cover more than 300 workers across the aquarium, including workers in animal care, guest experience, education, marketing and more.

In a statement provided to Monterey County Weekly, Monterey Bay Aquarium acknowledged its staff's interest in union representation, stating:

"We recognize that unionization is a complex and important decision for any workplace. We are committed to maintaining an open and constructive dialogue with all staff members throughout this process, providing the information and opportunities for discussion to support their fully informed decision-making."

While workers enjoy the work they do and appreciate working for an organization with a strong mission, retention can be challenging, with many colleagues leaving because wages are not keeping up with the local cost of living.

“We don’t want to lose people," Parkman says. “We just lost one of our [IT] people who has been here 12 years because he had to take a better paying job.”

AFSCME CWU represents over 100 institutions that include the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, the Oakland Museum of California and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles.

“The people who work here are really the ones doing the leg work,” says Andrew Dudenbostel, regional communications coordinator with AFSCME. “We're just here to help organize."