Nearly four months after the Obama Presidential Center opened, workers are organizing a union, citing “increasing workloads” and benefit rollbacks that have stirred concerns about their future with the organization.
In a letter distributed to colleagues on Wednesday morning, the workers allege that foundation leadership has met their concerns with “vague responses.” As a result, the letter states the Obama Foundation and Obama Presidential Center have a “high turnover rate” and workers “continue to leave, taking with them their institutional knowledge and expertise.”
The union did not have numbers on how many employees have left since the center opened in June, but it represents workers across a wide range of roles, from museum greeters and ticket takers to behind-the-scenes staff who put together exhibits or work in development, communications and marketing.
The letter, signed by 68 workers, announced that they are organizing a union with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31. Obama Workers United will represent more than 250 workers across the presidential center campus in Chicago, at the Obama Foundation’s offices in Washington, D.C. and remote workers around the U.S.Addressed to colleagues, the letter invites employees to sign their union cards to push for senior leadership to recognize the group’s right to organize “and not waste resources on anti-union messaging, anti-union lawyers, or anti-union meetings.”
Anders Lindall, director of public affairs for AFSCME Council 31, said that the organizing committee is circulating union cards to co-workers, getting them signed and having conversations to bring as many workers into the union as possible.
“Generally everybody wants a voice,” Lindall said. “That extends to compensation and conditions in the workplace and more.” He said that workers recently learned they’d get no pay increases this winter while their healthcare costs go up, paid time off was reduced and promotions were suspended.
Luke Gilday, an Obama Foundation employee and member of the union organizing committee who is based in Washington, D.C., added his signature to the open letter. He said that there is no timeline for securing a union contract with the Obama Foundation, but the focus now is on building momentum.
Starting at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, workers from the Obama Presidential Center and Obama Foundation stood outside to greet colleagues coming in for their shifts and hand out buttons, stickers and copies of the open letter. Some even posed for selfies with large union signs sporting the logo of their union, Obama Workers United.
While it’s too early to pinpoint specific proposals that the union will bring to the bargaining table, Gilday said all workers are concerned about healthcare costs, wages and time off.
“What we’re hoping for, and really the reason why we’re forming our union, is just because we believe we should have a say in the decisions that are being made that impact all of our lives,” Gilday said. He added that workers have always been left out of conversations around benefits, pay and insurance.“At the end of the day, we’re the ones who are facing those impacts, and we don’t even have a seat at the table,” he said.
The organizing committee’s open letter quotes directly from former President Barack Obama’s 2016 open letter to working men and women: “If I were looking for a good job that lets me build some security for my family, I’d join a union. If I saw a problem in my workplace, I’d organize my coworkers to do something about it.”
Gilday said the unionizing workers all “care deeply about” the Obama Foundation’s mission.“Mr. and Mrs. Obama’s legacy is one of hope,” he said. “It’s one of fairness, and it’s one of transparency … by forming our union, all we’re doing is living out that legacy.”
Lindall said AFSCME “just can’t imagine that there would be any type of resistance or interference” from the Obama Foundation. “That’s what we would expect, that’s what we hope for, and we will see.”AFSCME also endorsed then-state Sen. Obama in 2008 after Clinton conceded in the race for the Democratic nomination for president.
A spokesperson for the Obama Foundation shared a statement with the Sun-Times/WBEZ: “We are deeply committed to the fundamental right of workers to organize and make their voices heard. As members of our staff explore union representation, we approach this process with immense gratitude for their contributions, deep respect for unions, and a sincere commitment to working collaboratively with our partners in labor.”
In June, the 19.3-acre Obama Presidential Center campus opened to the public at 6001 S. Stony Island Ave. The formation of Obama Workers United follows a major wave of Chicago museum and cultural workers unionizing, largely led by AFSCME Council 31.
