[BCMA] Art Gallery of Ontario Strike

[Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv]

Carolyn:
I worked there for 27 years.
Was front line ,back of house, and started in maintenance.
My favorite was the Info desk which was taken away seemingly on a permanent basis by the current Director...the one mentioned below.
I sold AGO memberships from the info desk, and would purchase the periodical ART NEWS with my own money for patrons to look through just to mention a few memories.
I was virtually part-time for the duration of my career, except for temporary full-time for the King -Tut Exhibition...".just another number" on the massive part-time seniority list.

But my love for historical issues in Vancouver and Southern Ontario have allowed me to forget about all that and curate displays in both.

Regards,
James Gibson
Toronto/ Vancouver
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From: Listserv <listserv-bounces at lists.museum.bc.ca> on behalf of Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv <listserv at lists.museum.bc.ca>
Sent: Friday, April 12, 2024 12:39 PM
To: listserv at lists.museum.bc.ca <listserv at lists.museum.bc.ca>
Subject: [BCMA] Art Gallery of Ontario Strike


Hello,

I just wanted to draw everyone’s attention to the strike currently taking place at the Art Gallery of Ontario. 400+ employees of the gallery have been on strike since late March.

The strike was covered by several news sites when it started but coverage has quickly dropped. A few employees have spoken out on social media expressing frustration that the CEO earns $400 000 before bonuses while many staff need to use food banks, that the recently announced $100 million expansion will not come with additional staff, the loss of the First Nations curatorial department, and the quiet removal of a gender-neutral washrooms.

OPSEU SEFPO Local 535, the union that is striking, does have a website: https://opseu.org/nodealnoago/#newmode-embed-1613-65290

What happens at large institutions like the Art Gallery of Ontario impacts the entire arts and culture industry in Canada, so I thought it was important to bring this strike to everyone’s attention.

Further reading:

“Hundreds of AGO workers on picket line Tuesday as strike begins” CBC News. Mar 26, 2024. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/hundreds-of-ago-workers-on-picket-line-tuesday-as-strike-begins-1.7155877

“Hundreds of AGO workers go on strike, hit the picket lines” Global News. March 26th 2024. https://globalnews.ca/news/10384244/art-gallery-of-ontario-strike-toronto/


Thanks,


Carolyn Ben (she/her)
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