More than 400 AGO workers to go on strike Tuesday
More than 400 employees at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) will be on strike as of 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, according to the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU).
In a post on social media, the union said workers had voted to reject the art gallery's latest offer. In a statement issued March 13, the union said workers are fighting for wage increases to keep up with the cost-of-living.
Those striking include curators, researchers, technicians, designers, electricians, carpenters, instructors, and other roles.
"If we claim the arts matter, we must allow value the workers that make that possible," said Paul Ayers, president of OPSEU Local 535, in the statement.
"Some of us have worked here for decades. Over time, we have seen the gallery turn towards contracting out labour and increasingly relying on part-time, precarious work. It's getting harder to make a decent living as an employee of the AGO," Ayers said.
The job action comes after about 10 months of bargaining between the two sides.
The union said the strike comes as the AGO prepares to expand with the Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary Gallery. It's a 3,700 square metre expansion that's being partially funded by a $35 million donation from Canada Goose founder Dani Reiss and is expected to cost around $100 million in total, according to the gallery's website.
In the March 13 statement, OPSEU president JP Hornick said expansion should not come at the cost of employees.
In the AGO's most recent publicly available financial documents, which covers April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023, the gallery reported a deficit of $3.8 million.
In an emailed statement Tuesday morning, AGO spokesperson Laura Quinn said the gallery "is closed today due to a labour disruption."
Quinn said operational updates will be available on the AGO's website. "We remain hopeful that we will reach a negotiated agreement with OPSEU soon," she said.
