On Tuesday, April 22, Monterey Bay Aquarium workers announced they are joining the hundreds of aquariums, museums and cultural institutions that have successfully unionized with representation from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 57 and Culture Workers United (CWU), one of the largest labor unions in the country with more than 1 million members.
The new union, known as Monterey Bay Aquarium Workers United (MBAWU), will represent more than 350 workers across the Aquarium, including staff in animal care, guest experience, education, marketing and more.
“This win means a lot to us; we built a strong and dedicated community across the Aquarium to make MBAWU happen,” said Samantha Parzuchowski, a senior product manager at the Aquarium, in a statement. “I’m proud of all the hard work we put in to be able to now say we are official.”
Aquarium workers announced their campaign in January, advocating for fair pay, better workplace flexibility, comprehensive benefits and improved accessibility accommodations. In their campaign announcement letter circulated among staff, they wrote, “We know this announcement will make waves, but by immersing ourselves in hope we will hold fast to our principles and surge ahead to create a rising tide that lifts us all.”
After their request for voluntary recognition of the union was denied, Aquarium workers proceeded with a formal union election filed with the National Labor Relations Board, which was held in person last month. Ballots were officially counted Monday, April 21.
In an email to the Weekly, a spokesperson for the Monterey Bay Aquarium says they look forward to negotiating with MBAWU on behalf of its members. At this time, they wrote, the Aquarium cannot speculate on what will be included in the union contract.
“The Aquarium has always prioritized—and will continue to prioritize—the well-being of our staff, who play a central role in maintaining our position as a global leader in marine conservation and education,” the spokesperson said.
(1) comment
A large and succesful organization such as MBA should welcome unionization to insure its workforce remains professional and attuned to the needs of the organization. Indeed, it might even consider becoming an employee-owned business, having seats at the governing table.
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.