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(Credits: Art Gallery of Ontario)
Amid the cost-of-living crisis and a lack of pay increase, over 400 workers at Toronto‘s Art Gallery of Ontario have walked out on strike. The gallery is among the largest in all of North America, with a collection of more than 90,000 works of art. However, doors have been closed to the public since March 26th, as members of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union begun striking.
The strike action comes as a result of a breakdown in negotiations between the union and the museum’s administrators, who have been in talks over pay rises for the past ten months. According to the union, the negotiations showed that the museum was unable or unwilling to make meaningful changes with regard to pay increases and protections for part-time staff.
Tensions between the union and the gallery administration have not been helped by the fact that the administrators are currently gearing up for an expensive expansion of the gallery. Using money donated by Dani Reiss, CEO of Canada Goose, the museum is set to embark upon a 3,700 square metre expansion, costing around $100,000 CAD. Despite this lavish spending, many of the gallery’s staff are struggling.
In a statement released by the union, OPSEU, President JP Hornick said, “Many of these workers are artists in their own right that contribute to the cultural fabric of the city. Devaluing artists is not how we show the public that the arts matter.”
The message continued, “The AGO is sending the message that as a prominent cultural institution, it prioritises the bottom line over peoples’ livelihood.”
The striking members of staff represent virtually every aspect of the gallery; from assistant curators to hospitality staff. A large portion of these workers have been gathered outside the gallery in Downtown Toronto, alerting passers-by to their struggle.
Expectedly, the art gallery workers have some of the most beautifully crafted placards and signs in the history of the trade union movement, featuring slogans like “Shiny building, shabby wages”, “Art matters, what about people?” and “Show me the Monet”.
At the time of writing, it is unclear when or how the strike will come to an end. While, the Art Gallery of Ontario are willing to take part in talks with the union, it’s unclear whether they are willing to make the necessary changes to appease the workers.
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