Give Museum Custodians Their Jobs Back!

Petition Signatures & Public Comments

(Updates made frequently)


“Union busting is disgusting”

Patti Mulchrone, Member of the Community

“As a long-standing patron of the art institute, I would hate to see the custodial staff lose their benefits. Every member of the union is just as important as the next, and every member deserves to receive their benefits. The custodial staff plays a foundational role in the happiness and health of every single person who visits the museum, and I have to ask myself why the museum would want to take away the benefits and bargaining power of these staff members. I am proud to sign this petition in solidarity with the union, a body that intends to preserve the rights of its laborers as well as the culture of this institution. “

Olivia Hohe, Memvber of the Community

“The Art Institute of Chicago is a pillar of this city, and the custodians who make it run deserve unionized jobs with living wages and full benefits. No private contractors, give the custodians their jobs back now.”

Alec Hudson, Member of the Community

“The custodial staff are a vital part of the art institute. It is extremely disheartening to strip them of their rights as employees with such short notice. The effects this will have on not only their careers but their livelihood is devastating.”

Chelsea Wendyger, Member of the Community

“I have been going to the Art Institute for years, so it’s extremely disappointing that they would make such a move against their employees. Will definitely reconsider my attendance and patronage at the museum if they move forward with this.”

Irene Mead, Member of the Community

“Losing their jobs after many years is not fair to them and takes a huge emotional toll on their mental health. “

Jeralyn B MarekWiesner, Member of the Community

“I support the custodians of the Art Institute of Chicago and believe they deserve fair treatment, respect, and job security. Their work is essential to keeping the museum clean, safe, and welcoming for everyone. I urge museum leadership to negotiate in good faith and restore their jobs.”

Julieana cosajay, Family of Staff, Member of the Community

“As a union member of AFSCME 31, it's disheartening to see the Art Institute's maneuver to quietly underhand the union and its members. With negotiations for the new union contract starting next year, it is my hope that the Art Institute is willing to drop this blatant outsourcing of staff. Instead, I hope they will allow our custodial colleagues to sit at the table with the rest of us at said negotiations.”

Kevin Meskan, VIsitor Engagement, AIC Employee

“Treat your staff better, you goofs.”

Richard Mrkacek, Member of the Community

“This is an injustice to the staff at the Art Institute and I fully stand with the custodial staff and the members of AFSCME Local 37. I stand clearly and unequivocally with the custodial workers of the Art Institute of Chicago. The decision to eliminate the jobs of dedicated employees and replace them with a private, for-profit contractor is not only unjust—it is a betrayal of the very people who have helped make this institution what it is today. Many of these workers have devoted decades of their lives to the museum, and they deserve respect, security, dignity, and recognition.”

Gabriella Guerra, Member of the Community

“We ask that you consider the toll this will take on people especially on their mental health having been there for a decade if not more some workers are going to struggle because they’ve been there for so long and it’s what they know as a constant in their lives and just because they’re qualified doesn’t mean it’s gonna be easy to replace the job they were doing a lot of places still find ways to discourage and discriminate against workers just because they can even though there are laws against it not everyone acknowledges them.”

Robert j Bennecke jr., Member of the Community

“As a former intern and employee of the Art Institute I am disappointed in these actions and urge management to cease these subcontracting plans.”

Ariel Gentalen, Former AIC Employee, Member of the Community

“Custodial staff are the backbone of any business. In addition to doing the work no one else wants to do, they are often taken for granted and overlooked. I’m calling on AIC to do the right thing and renew the custodial staff’s contract instead of outsourcing this important work.”

Julian Axelrod, Member of the Community

“As a paying member of the Art Institute of Chicago and lifelong patron I am against the actions of the Board to terminate these well-paying positions and unionized jobs with benefits. I refuse to believe the Board membership lacks the means to cover whatever costs it may be trying to save with these actions. And if it isn’t a cost savings measures it is a blatant attack on organized labor in Chicago. Do better by the Chicago community — otherwise shame on you. “

Micheál Podgers, Member of the Community

“You're going to mess with these people's lives for a little bit of money? Weak sauce”

Kelvin, Member of the Community

“The custodial staff deserves fair working conditions as much as anyone!”

Alexandra Schutz, Art Handler, Member of the Community

“Distasteful and repugnant choice for an esteemed cultural institution.”

Biz, Sales Supervisor, Member of the Community

“Custodial members are the most vital backbone to prestigious institutions. No one can argue that cleanliness is of the upmost importance, especially in public spaces, for appearances, pride, and people's health. To devaule the invaluble work members of our community have been doing is a fool's move.”

Alex Lee, SAIC Student Worker, SAIC Employee

“Please keep the hard working staff at the art institute. We don’t want our community members losing jobs so the museum can outsource and likely pay other workers less for the same job.”

Elyse Smith, Member of the Community

“what is chicago if not a union town? what is the art institute if not a union shop? what is the point of an art museum that treats people as disposable?”

Bailey Kendall, Member of the Community

“This behavior disgusts me.”

Dominic Gardetto, Member of the Community

“I believe it’s very important that SAIC retains their current custodial staff and not layoff and outsource these jobs.”

Chun An Huai, Member of the Community

“The outsourcing of custodial work actively deteriorated the workplace culture of an institution. It disrespects those workers.”

Melissa Anderson, Librarian, Member of the Community

“People over profit”

Sasha Langlands

“I support the custodial staff.”

Donna Hardnette, Member of the Community

“To be on the right side of history-you must understand the power of your legacy. Do right by the people who have given their time, effort, and energy to supporting your legacy. Taking effectively the financially and morally cheap way out is a disservice to your own brand just as much as it is to those who would be let go. Be better. Do better. Create a space worthy of support. This is a step in the wrong direction and time will show it if you don’t backtrack.”

Hanna, Member of the Community

“The custodial staff is a vital part of the community. When my younger siblings and I go to the Art Institute on free days, it’s the custodial staff that keeps it running, that entertain them with the stickers on their bins and help them when they're feeling ill. When my friend had a medical emergency and felt ill, it was custodial staff that held back her hair and rubbed her back first. To take their jobs away is so outrageously wrong and a huge disappointment...”

Kayla Nguyen, Clinical Research Fellow, Member of the Community

“I am a long time member of the Art Institute. It is the one museum membership I renew every year. I urge you to retain your cleaning staff and provide quality jobs for our community members. I would rather pay a hire membership rate if it meant you would pass the cost onto retaining your unionized cleaning staff.”

Emily Twarog, Professor, Member of the Community

“Having zero integrity costs so much more than just money. It corrupts our souls and cells. If you have the power to do something, do it. Do something you could be proud of down the road, knowing that you didn’t allow vital members of the staff to be cut off like lose ends. Cutting people’s benefits nowadays is an indirect way of telling them their life means basically nothing to you. Does it really mean nothing to you?”

Riley Mall, Member of the Community

“The custodians at the AIC are wonderful every time I visit! The whole museum is spotless, they are always cleaning. They are very sweet ,kind , hardworking individuals who have families to support. This is an injustice and disrespect to them and their families after GIVING AIC 20+ years of their lives which they will not get back. Please don’t take away their benefits for YOUR OWN benefit and greedy. You will not have the same trust with new employees that you already build with your own people. We the community support AIC custodians.”

Diana, Member of the Community

“The custodians of the Art Institute are amazing. They deserve to keep their jobs, and to be treated with dignity and respect as workers. “

Jorin Graham, Member of the Community

“I do not support our local institutions outsourcing labor. It sends the message that cost savings are more important than the people who live and work in our city. Our cultural institutions should be creating stable, local jobs and not shifting work to corporations whose primary responsibility is to their bottom line.”

Riley Ledford, Catastrophe Risk Analyst, Member of the Community

“Chicago is a union town. Do right by your workers. No union busting.”

Nell McKeown, Member of the Community

“Support your people! Support unions!”

Paula Sjogerman, Arts administrator, Member of the Community

“The MOST valuable asset AIC has is the people who work there.“

Raina, Member of the Community

“As a guest of the museum, I find this action by museum leadership to be unconscionable, not in line with basic human rights or the principles of fairness. It is also a breech of contract for long time faithful workers and I will consider discontinuing my patronage in the future if this travesty stands.”

Madeleine Hall, Early Childhood Educator, Member of the Community

“Stop being an embarrassment to the arts. The wages you even pay staff are already laughable to others in the field. “

Saira Chambers, Project Manager, Member of the Community

“Privatizing services always results in lower quality of said services in addition to the lower quality of life that employees are forced to live when working for third party companies instead of being in house.”

Nicholas Davis, Member of the Community

“Take care of those who take care of you. Treat your employees fairly!”

Stephanie Brendle, Bartender, Musician, Member of the Community

“It is shameful to take someone's livelihood away no matter what, but especially after decades of service. “

Nasr Bin Safwan, Member of the Community

“This decision is a despicable disregard for the contractual rights of the current custodial staff. “

S. F., Member of the Community

“Stop defunding your employees. Let’s not act like this the first time. “

Anna, Member of the Community

“Keep third party out. Keep Union members in. Keep the current custodial employees with all current benefits etc. “

Deb Fox, Member of the Community

“It’s clear to the public exactly how much decades of a service to a critical Chicago institution is REALLY worth to AIC/SAIC management. Treat these workers with dignity and respect and reinstate them now.”

Amanda Goetze, Bookseller (The Book Cellar, Lincoln Square), Member of the Community

“The Art Institute has never been any less than sparkling clean during any of my visits, and it would mar my experience to know that the staff who have worked so hard to make the museum so special are being let go and losing their benefits in this manner. This would be a massive mistake on the part of the Institute's leadership, and they should not assume that loyal museum visitors will not notice or be unaffected by this.”

Jennifer Peshansky, Frequent museum attendee!!!, Member of the Community

“Shame on the Art Institute for cutting these custodial positions.”

Peter wensel, Member of the Community

“As a AIC member, I am extremely disappointed in this decision and urge the museum to reinstate these custodial employees.”

Victoria Barry, Member of the Community

“Give our custodians their jobs back.”

Rachel Valdez, Member of the Community

“Give our custodians their jobs back”

Majid, Member of the community

“Disregarding the importance of the experience and dedication of the custodial staff at the AIC, people who have been trained in this specific environment of priceless and precious works of art, to engage with an outside party to perform this important work seems reckless as well as disrespectful of the people who have been dedicated employees."

Erin Miller, Member of the Community

“The art Institute is one of the most respected in the world and it should be reflected in the treatment of the staff, everyone single one. It's disgraceful.”

Grace Marusek, Member of the Community

“Totally and completely wrong!”

Gabor Szvoboda, Member of the Community

'“Please do not outsource this labor and do not disrupt the livelihood of your workers.”

Ana Izaguirre, Member of the Community

“Shame on the AIOC; solidarity with the people who make it run.”

Carlos, Dog Walker, Member of the Community

“Custodial work deserves respect and compensation. The condition of your institution would deteriorate rapidly without their hard work.”

John Stoner, Member of the Community

“Please do the right thing. “

Gerald Marquez, Member of the Community

“Workers deserve more!”

John Proios, Assistant Professor

“Our resources should be handled with the hands that have birthed and raised our communities not a company that produces complacent services that don't understand the weight the care needed to preserving our institutions need. You can't manufacture humanity and connection.”

Yaritzel M., Adult Co-facilitator, Member of the Community

“Opposed to this unfair action against union workers “

Patricia McNichols, Artist/Teacher, Member of the community

“I left the Art Institute almost two years ago because of how non-curatorial staff are treated by senior management. Please prove me wrong.”

Amy Robin Hoffman, Former AIC Employee

“Please reconsider this decision. Our custodial staff have worked hard to keep the museum running and deserve better”

Luis Arroyo, Coordinator, SAIC Employee

“These members of our staff provide not only their time and energy in service and care of our museum and its spaces, but they are a deeply vital part of our community. They take their work personally, seriously, and display both professionalism and warmth in everything they do.”

Emma Seale, AIC Employee

“As an SAIC student, I am appalled by AICs disregard for its custodial staff. Please reconsider any shifts in staffing and keep the employees in their roles.”

Morgan Robinson-Gay, Member of the Community

“The way this institution tries to undermine the people that they choose to work for them astounds and shocks me”

Paul Marx, Member of the Community

“We will always stand with workers!”

Yulianna Briones, Member of the Communiity

“Custodial staff make the world go round & are often our world's angels in disguise. AIC custodians deserve basic human decency, to keep their livelihoods and be treated with respect.”

Emma Heinzig, Member of the Community

“SAIC MFA, '23; NYSUT/ATF delegate; As a public city school teacher and union member, I know all too well that working conditions are learning conditions and that custodial staff are essential to upholding good conditions. Outsourced labor with none of the community benefits of public service labor will undoubtedly result in unclean and unsafe conditions for staff, students, and guests. No for-profit company will take care of an institution. Ultimately, this third-party will denigrate your bottom line to serve their's, as museum leadership denigrates loyal, hardworking custodial employees. I urge you to right this injustice and take care of your own -- if not for conscience, then for the continued service to your mission reputation as a clean, safe, accessible learning space to your guests and AIC community. Give our custodians back their jobs.”

Reina Apraez, Member of the Community

“AICWU Local 35 President for School Staff”

Myia Brown, Assistant Director, CAPX, SAIC Employee

No more for profit . A disgusting plague of power that sucks out the life and blood of arts and humanity and the people that hold it up-including the valued members of the custodian staff who play just as an equal role in the “esteem” institution as any of the bullshit high payed board members, historians, and artists. Justice for the working class”

Isabella kinnick, Student, Member of the Community

“As a former intern, the custodial staff were among the nicest people I would interact with throughout the museum! I’d see them everywhere and they’d always say hi or smile, and I loved greeting them back whenever I saw them!”

DJ Santos, Former VisD Intern, Member of the Community

“I am a student at SAIC and I want to see our community and faculty be supported.”

Marisol, Member of the Community

“How can we be an institution of Art and forget our Humanity?”

Meadow Favuzzi, Member of the Community

“This is shameful and should be reversed. “

Cassandra Feuerstein, Member of the Community

“I’ve only been working at AIC for a short time but all of the custodial staff are wonderful, hardworking and friendly people, dont destroy their lives to meet some bottom line!”

Hiromi Ueyoshi, Freelance Artist, Member of the Community

“Custodial workers deserve support, stability, and loyalty from the job they have shown their loyalty to through their hard work and dedication, not to be brushed aside as a write off, breaking a contract already signed. Shame on the institute leadership if this decision stands.”

Sierra Pierce, Client Services, Member of the Community

“Give our custodians their jobs back.”

Jarelyn Vazquez, Member of the Community

“Stop for profit privatization. Keep institute dollars within the community.”

Jesse Perez, Mental Healht Provider, Member of the Community

“As a member of the Art Institute of Chicago, I’m outraged that the museum management is making the decision to outsource jobs and attempt to weaken its union. This is a shameful move by a shameless management. “

Rozana Espoz, Member of the Community

“This is disgusting”

Vincent Mollica, Member of the Community

“Please do not outsource your custodial staff to a 3rd party. All employees deserve to be treated with respect. “

Madison Whelan, Member of the Community

“These workers have formed a union to protect their rights and employment. Forcing them to be re-hired under a different contract than previously negotiated is unethical. “

Whit Bates, Member of the Community

“Not only is the deed itself a rotten thing to do to begin with, but at every possible turn the institute intentionally breaks the terms of their contract with the union. Every time they do, they get emboldened to do so again. It should not be allowed to continue this path without repercussions for the non-union employees' illegal and amoral acts. AIC is not a singlular entity, but is made up of individuals who are willfully working to harm those they see and work with every day.”

Dylan McCusker, Member of the Community

“Please respect these employees positions in the institution. “

Tatyana Scott, Coordinator, SAIC Emplyee

“Please do the right thing. This will affect my opinion of your institution.”

Katherine Rubinas, Member of the Community

“Boulder Area Labor Council stands with these workers. An injury to one is an injury to all. Chicago is a proud union town, don't tarnish that reputation.”

Alejandra Beatty, President, Member of the Community

“I am outraged that AIC has broken not only its legal obligation to negotiate but also the trust of some of its longest-standing and hardest working staff members.”

Sara Carminati, Former AIC Employee

“Unacceptable decision.”

Henry Lansing, Member of the Community

“Give custodians their jobs back!!”

Nichole, Member of the Community

“AIC should be ashamed of targeting any of their employees, all the more so their most essential. #breachofcontract”

Dr. Kirsten Lopez, Curatorial Coordinator, Member of the Community

“Let these hard working people keep their jobs!”

Autumn Ellis, Museum Worker, Member of the Community

“It is a shame that this renowned institution is making such poor decisions under this current leadership.”

Michael Rush, Director/Lawyer, Member of the Community

“Dedicated and hard-working people deserve respect! If the director of the AIC can make over $1 million, the essential staff can be taken care of and treated humanely!”

Erica Warren, Assistant Instructional Professor, Member of the Community

“Horrific to do this! I can’t believe the art institute would do something like this. “

Rylee, Member of the Community

“This is unacceptable and a disgrace to our community. “

Bulat Schamiloglu, Member of the Community

“Protect union labor.”

Annalise Castro, SAIC Alumn, Member of the Cmmunity

“This is disgraceful. The firing of employees who are deemed 'disposable' for the sake of reducing head-count cost. These people are an essential part of the museum and should be treated as such.”

Jackson Bontemps, Systems Engineer, Member of the Community

“AIC must honor the dignity of all employees with respect and care. Terminating these contracts directly opposes the values of AIC, and also reinforces the hierarchy of staff while dehumanizing the lowest-paid workers. How does AIC plan to remain “committed to contributing to an inspired and just society” if employee contracts are unjustly constructed and/or terminated? How does AIC aim to “advance the diverse perspectives of our city, staff, visitors, and supporters” if staff are stripped of employee benefits, like healthcare and access to higher education? How does AIC intend to remain equitable and follow through on their “moral obligation to confront the biases and inequities of our history,” the history of Chicago, if the termination of contracts impacts primarily Black employees and creates further inequities between custodial staff and museum leadership?”

Maya Jackson, Member of the Community

“as a student I do not support the termination of our custodial staff.”

Nicolai, SAIC Student

“Do right your own people”

Jason, Member of the Community

“Support our community!“

Katherine Glazbrook, Member of the Community

“I am disturbed by the willingness of this organization to hurt the people that support it. This is reflective of elite interests not that of the art community. If the institute continues to operate in this way all that will be left to run the museum is their sorry selves.”

Theo Hatfield, Member of the Community

“Do right by your workers”

Keenen, Software Engineer, Member of the Community

“As a member of the AIC, I demand and expect the very best from the institute and that includes a clean museum and fair labor practice. If the AIC cannot meet the demands of the union I will cancel my membership.”

Genevieve Nemeth, Local PhD Student, Member of the Community

“Unacceptable! Outsourcing is dangerous for the art work and for the community.”

Lindsey Rauba, Member of the Community

“We can’t lose these precious custodial staff members! They’ve done an outstanding job keeping the space clean for my whole upbringing, they are absolutely a foundational piece of the institution!!!”

Erin Wieronski, Member of the Commnunity

“Shame!”

Taykhoom Biviji, Arts Administrator, Member of the Community

“I think the custodians should have the option to choose what path they want to go.”

Emily cosajay, Member of the Community

“An unbelievable loss to valued members of the Art Institute's community; we all implore the Art Institute to reinstate the jobs for these invaluable workers!”

Jane Keranen, Member of the Community

“Do right by your employees!! Solidarity with AICWU! “

Cam Day, Member of the Community

“As a Member Ambassador for several years, this is terrible injustice to longtime employees.”

Jean McManus, Librarian, Member of the Community

“Give your devoted staff their jobs back.”

Laura LoChirco, Theater house manager, Member of the Community

“Why would we put anyone out of a job??”

Angela McAbee, Member of the Community

“You won't know how good you cleaning staff is until they are gone and the place is a mess.”

Melissa Stanley, Member of the Community

“This is a short sighted, penny pinching decision that further erodes the middle class, and further tarnishes the reputation and prestige of the AIC. Why are you spending all this time, money, and energy fighting your own workers instead of figuring out how to gain back the public trust you’ve repeatedly lost.”

Chris James, Member of the Community

“Give them their jobs back”

Tracy Brock, Tire Builder, Member of the Community

“Stand strong. Make unions strong again. “

Barbara Brown , Retired-Former factory with union, Member of the Community

“Museum jobs are for everyone!!! Let the people who've been working there stay!!!”

Christine Magill, Member of the Community

“The workers who have been loyal to AIC for years do not deserve to just be let go like nothing. AIC claims to honor ALL STAFF contributions; building a hospitable environment for visitors and staff, yet by turning these custodial roles into contract work undermines these AIC values. These workers contribute to this environment and they not only deserve to be acknowledged but to received the payment and benefits in order to truly honor their years of loyalty and work at AIC.”

Evelyn Hernández, Member of the Community

“I join in the demand by the AICWU that management restore the custodial jobs it plans to subcontract out and bargain in good faith. An institution that fails to treat its own workers with dignity cannot be trusted to hold a place of prominence in our City, and the Art Institute management must reconsider. “

S Gronkiewicz-Doran, Member of the community

“your employees matter more than your bottom line”

Brannon Hancock, Member of the Community

“Workers deserve better than to be coldly cast aside - if the museum leadership wants to save money, maybe they should cut their own salaries.”

June Lindberg, Member of the Community

“Absolutely shameful to outsource these jobs to a for profit company.“

L, Member of the Community

“The society we live in deserves to have hardworking staff earn a living. They are maintaining the spaces, keeping it welcoming and inviting but also are part of the pulse that keeps the Art Institute Running. It's a shame that management can't see the value of the human contributing to society “

Ja'Neil Jackson, Vistior Engagemnt, Member of the Community

“James Rondeau, the president of the Art Institute, stripped nude on a public plane and kept his job.”

Noah Meyer, Member of the Community

“Stop pretending that you are saving the institution by destroying it.”

Robert Rencarge, Member of the Community

“I stand with the the employees including the twenty three custodians of AFSCME Local 37 who built their careers and their lives around this institution. Some for more than twenty years. Subcontracting their jobs out overnight is a betrayal of the people who keep this museum running every single day. The Art Institute doesn't get to celebrate the value of labor, dignity, and human stories in its galleries, its public messaging, its asks for public, philanthropic, and private funding and donations while selectively curating which values it gets to internally practice. Benefits, PTO, tuition support, loan forgiveness eligibility aren't luxuries and expendable. I'm adding my name because these workers deserve better than a decision made behind closed doors. Give them their jobs back.”

Hilesh Patel, Conflict Mediator, Member of the Community

“As a member of the AIC, this is short sighted and wrong. Please do your research—privatization of custodial services has not gone well for other institutions. And that’s not even addressing the horrible way you are treating your employees who have been loyal to you.”

Noreen McNulty, Member of the community

“Don’t pull another move like you did with the docents”

Charles Nawara, Member of the Community

“Ecclesiastes 4:9-12: "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up."

Michael Trilling, Member of the Community

“As an AIC member, I’m disappointed in learning about these dismissals. I believe the unionized custodial staff should retain their jobs and existing benefits. I believe they’re a vital part of the museum experience and see subcontracting this work as diminishing the museum’s high standing in the Chicago community.“

Thomas Muellner, Copywriter, Memeber of the Community