Workers at Philadelphia Museum of Art carry out a one-day strike

Unionized workers at the Philadelphia Museum of Art engaged in a one-day strike Friday, throwing up picket lines at all entrances to the main museum building, and at the Perelman Building annex on Kelly Drive and the Rodin Museum on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

The labor action, which union leaders characterized as a “warning,” marked the first time in recent memory that picketers have walked the line at the Art Museum, now in the throes of its first-ever staff-wide contract negotiations. The museum remained open for visitors.

Workers from virtually all museum departments voted to unionize in July of 2020 and have been in protracted negotiations for a contract since October of 2020. They are seeking improvement of wages and benefits and resolution to what union leaders call unfair labor practices — a grievance was filed with the National Labor Relations Board in August.

About 20 to 25 workers were at each main building entrance on Friday, as well as at the Perelman Building (which is closed) and the Rodin Museum.

Adam Rizzo, president of Local 397 of AFSCME DC Local 47, said that “basically all of our members” walked out in the job action. Union membership stands at about 180 workers, from virtually all museum departments — more than half of the museum’s employees.

Rizzo said normal work schedules would resume Saturday.

“This is a one-day warning strike,” Rizzo said Friday. “We wanted to show management that we could shut down the museum, which I think we have quite successfully done.”

In a statement issued Thursday, a museum spokesperson expressed disappointment in the union job action.

“We are disappointed that the union has chosen to strike,” the spokesperson said, “but we remain focused on reaching a fair and appropriate contract with the union.”

Rizzo said contract talks resume next week.