120 UAW Local 2110 workers hit the picket lines on March 6th after negotiations that began in October 2023 failed to meet their demands for higher wages. The action drew support from fellow Western Massachusetts organized labor groups, the broader North Adams community – including members of the city council – and high-profile backers like Senator Elizabeth Warren. The membership cast ballots Tuesday on a contract offer hammered out over the weekend with museum management that garnered the approval of the union bargaining team.
“This was another very decisive vote from our membership, folks overwhelmingly ratified this deal. And I think some folks went back to work at 7am this morning, some go back at 10, so they're funneling in back to work today," union spokesperson Chelsea Farrell told WAMC. “Folks are obviously really proud of what they've achieved throughout this strike- Not just, of course, culminating in this really excellent agreement, but I think they've really felt that their bonds of solidarity have grown over these past 21 days being out on strike together.”
Much of the dispute over pay concerned the union arguing that MASS MoCA was failing to meet a rising cost of living in Berkshire County, while the museum said the workers’ requests would threaten its ability to operate and survive as a nonprofit. With the dust settled, Farrell says the increase to the museum’s base rates is one of the core pieces of the new contract.
“The minimum is going to be increased from $16.25 to $18 an hour, which this overwhelmingly affects the majority of our membership," said Farrell. "So, a really good increase, a really good starting rate that, again, really helps folks moving forward.”
The agreement also establishes new holiday benefits and overtime rules.
“Overtime and time and a half will kick in after 10-hour days, not just 40 hours a week," Farrell continued. "And at MASS MoCA, this is a place where folks – especially in performing arts, for festivals, for these sorts of events –people do work really long days. And we've always seen this as a health and safety issue in that, obviously, if there's a deterrent for folks to work this long because they're going to have to be paid more, that it will incentivize there to be shorter shifts for people and therefore, a more safe work environment.”
MASS MoCA, which declined every WAMC request for interviews over the course of the strike, offered a written statement from Director Kristy Edmunds about the conclusion of negotiations:
“Equity and wage increases for MASS MoCA's staff have never been a matter of if, but a matter of how fast. The agreement marks another bold precedent that both the union and MASS MoCA desired and worked together to achieve – MASS MoCA’s minimum wage will jump to $18/hour in addition to numerous wage and equity increases. Our goal was shared, but our constraints and communication efforts for getting there differed. In our last bargaining session on Sunday, there was authentic, productive cooperation and clarity, which enabled all parties to agree.”
The new wages will kick in within 30 days, retroactive to the beginning of the year. For now, the union is walking away from the table and strike with the core of its demands and a successful test of its organizational capability.
“Certainly, a little bit of room to breathe, but obviously, the work of keeping up a strong union and administrating a contract never stops," said Farrell. "So, we go back into full contract administration mode, and hopefully remain strong, given the bonds that the folks have really created. But I think that's another thing we're pretty pleased about- By being able to achieve a two-year agreement, is that we can set our sights two years down the road, when we have to bargain the full contract, as opposed to just a wage reopener so we can really spend our time and energy working towards fighting for a strong full contract, not just wage provisions.”
Farrell says the backing of the North Adams community – with strong union roots through its long existence as a factory town – was invaluable to the striking workers.
“Folks were really empowered by that as well, knowing that many of the not just community members, but local organizations were standing with us," she told WAMC. "And we've been doing our best to call people out on social media to let folks know they've been supporting us, and that we'll continue working with them moving forward, because it was really- I think we found a lot of community support throughout this.”
