Law360 Quotes Melissa Healy on Cause of Uptick in Interest in Organizing in Museums

Labor and employment attorney Melissa Healy was quoted in Law360 ‘s Employment Authority in an article titled “Pandemic Didn’t Stop Museums From Organizing In 2020,” published January 11, 2021. (Subscription required.) The article discusses the effect the coronavirus pandemic has had on union organizing efforts by workers at museums — an increase that experts don’t expect will lessen once the pandemic is over.

Low salaries of staff compared to those of employees at the executive level, the impact of the #MeToo movement and the burden of student loan debt for younger workers are cited as reasons for renewed interest in organizing in museums.

Healy noted also that the pandemic has caused much concern among workers about their safety when they return to work. “At least in Oregon, we’ve seen unions coming up as negotiating return to work for employees, so there’s a perception that perhaps they’ll be able to improve the conditions workers would otherwise return to,” she said. “Whether that’s true or not, of course, is a matter of debate.”