Workers at
Discovery World, a science and technology museum in Milwaukee, have formed a union, according to a
IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) news release on Wednesday.
In the announcement, Discovery World workers outlined their priorities, including better wages and benefits; more opportunities for career advancement and full-time status; a "fair and transparent process" for promotions and hiring; as well as “the respect we deserve as museum workers, individuals and members of the Milwaukee community.”
“Our labor powers virtually every aspect of the Discovery World experience; our creativity and passion are the cornerstones of the interactive science museum’s exhibits, education and outreach programs, special events and so much more,” the workers said in the announcement. “Now, we are joining together to achieve recognition of our value, our needs — and, of course, our dignity.”
The workers are unionizing with the IAM Union to have a voice in the workplace, according to the news release.
“Collective bargaining will empower us to raise concerns about decisions by management without fear of retaliation,” the workers said.
“At Discovery World, we believe that our staff is at the core of a positive guest experience,” Discovery World said in a statement. “Their happiness and success matter deeply to us. We acknowledge their decision to pursue union representation and will respect this process.
“As we move forward, our priority is to maintain strong relationships with our team while also ensuring that the organization remains healthy and sustainable,” Discovery World said. “As a non-profit organization, we are still working to recover from a pandemic that decimated many organizations like ours. Since 2020, we’ve been working hard to ensure our budget is sustainable and that our resources are correctly allocated among our staff, our facilities, including our aquarium in the midst of repairs, and our programming that is focused on achieving our mission.”
