Workers at Philadelphia art services firm win recognition for their AFSCME union

After their strong organizing campaign, employees of Atelier Fine Art Services in Philadelphia are celebrating their union win and gearing up for the next step on the path to negotiating a contract. 

Management voluntarily recognized their union, which will be part of AFSCME Local 397 (District Council 47) and Philly Cultural Workers United. The Atelier union will represent 51 workers.  

“When an employer agrees to a voluntary recognition process, it demonstrates respect for and trust in the workers who have expressed their intent to unionize,” said April Gigetts, president of District Council 47. “It lays the groundwork for a more collaborative relationship during contract negotiations and beyond. We're thrilled that Atelier has decided to set this positive example for other employers, and we're thrilled that the Atelier workers will soon be growing the Local 397 family."  

Atelier employees are highly skilled at handling priceless works of art: packing, transporting, storing and installing them in museums and galleries in Philadelphia and around the country. They are well known to the Philadelphia museum staff they work with on a regular basis, many of whom are already members of AFSCME Local 397. 

Now that the majority of eligible employees have shown support for joining Local 397,  negotiations over a collective bargaining agreement can begin.  

In a joint statement, the employees and the company said they share a goal of fostering a collaborative, transparent and respectful workplace. 

"As a long-time AFL-CIO member myself, I am profoundly grateful to our incredible employees and AFSCME for their dedication to a collaborative future,” said Derek Jones, executive director of Atelier. “Our team's unmatched expertise is the reason Atelier continues to set the standard in art services. Being recognized alongside Philadelphia's esteemed cultural institutions is a true badge of honor for us. We look forward to growing and strengthening our organization together as we enter this exciting new chapter." 

Atelier employees join more than 50,000 workers in libraries, museums and other cultural institutions across the country who have gained a voice on the job through the AFSCME Cultural Workers United campaign. That includes workers at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Please Touch Museum and the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, among others.