Frequently Asked Questions

What is a union and why do we need one at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles (NHMLAC)? 

A union is a worker organization formed by workers who come together and use their collective strength to have a voice in the workplace. Through their union, workers have the ability to negotiate from a position of strength with employers over wages, benefits, workplace health and safety, job training and other work-related issues. With a union, management is legally required to negotiate in good faith over the conditions of our employment. Unions also serve an important role in holding management accountable for treating workers with respect.    

Is it legal to unionize?  

According to the National Labor Relations Act, we have a legally protected right to form our union. It is illegal for an employer to retaliate, intimidate or engage in any type of surveillance. They also cannot interrogate employees about their support for their union. No employer handbook or contract can take away that right. 

It is also illegal for an employer to make any changes to the terms and conditions of current working conditions in retaliation for forming a union. The truth is that without a union, management could take away that flexibility at any time. Securing a union contract with flexible scheduling language makes it a policy we have the power to monitor and enforce.  

Under federal labor law, employees are protected by Government Code Sections 3550 and 3553, which requires public employers to remain neutral and permit employee free choice in the exercise of statutory rights related to union membership. This means that it is unlawful for public employers to “deter or discourage"public employees or applicants from becoming or remaining members of an employee organization, or from authorizing representation by an employee organization, or from authorizing dues or fee deductions to an employee organization.” 

Essentially, an employer is required to stay completely neutral and not say anything to discourage employees from unionizing. When a union is recognized and certified as a bargaining representative, the public employer must meet and confer with the union prior to disseminating any communication related to unions, organizing, or representation.

I don’t think we need a third party/outsiders coming between NHMLAC staff and management and telling us what to do.  

We are the union. We vote to form our union; we will decide what to negotiate for in our contract; and we will elect our local union officers. We have the backing of the largest movement of cultural workers via AFSCME Cultural Workers United national network. By joining AFSCME, we also join 1.4 million public service workers who have our back and will support us, along with resources like experienced negotiators, attorneys, researchers, and organizers.  

I have a good relationship with my supervisor...  

That’s great! Many of us have good relationships with our supervisors, but this isn’t about them. This is about us, the workers, having a voice. Supervisors change all the time and are limited in what they can do for employees. When we form our union, policies will be clearer and more consistent, which will make our supervisors' job more defined and our relationship even better.    

Management is finally listening and says they are going to fix things. I think we should give them a chance.  

It’s great that management is finally hearing us, and if they are sincere about making changes, it shouldn’t be an issue to sit down with us as a union, negotiate improvements and put them into a contract. No working conditions, pay, or benefits are guaranteed until it is in the union contract. Your union will help create policies and initiatives created by and for employees. We are the experts of what we need and should help determine the policies that impact us most.    

Will we have to pay union dues? I don’t know if I can afford to.  

No one will pay dues until we have successfully negotiated our contract and a majority of us have voted to approve the contract. Who would vote for a contract that isn’t worth their dues? 

The local affiliation will be with AFSCME Council 36 and the 2025 dues rate for those who get paychecks every other week (26 pay periods per year) is: 

• Full time - $55/month ($27.5 per pay period)
• Part time - $41.35/month ($20.675 per pay period)
• Less than part time - $27.90/month ($13.95 per pay period)

Monthly dues will be split in half. 

What are dues used for?  

Dues are used to build and grow our union and go toward expenses such as negotiating union contracts, legal fees, representation and organizing new workers. When more workers within an industry are organized, it helps raise the standards via contract negotiations.