Kennedy Center Employees Announce Plans to Unionize

Center staffers are unionizing against the Trump administration’s efforts to “eliminate staff, and dismantle our mission-essential programs”

Since President Trump appointed himself chair of the Kennedy Center and assigned a new board and president, nearly 40 staffers have been dismissed from the Kennedy Center, the New York Times reported. 

Now, over 90 employees working in programming, education, marketing, fund-raising, public relations, plus the National Symphony Orchestra and the Washington National Opera, are seeking to unionize as the Kennedy Center United Arts Workers (KCUAW) for greater job protection. 

This comes as employees are becoming increasingly concerned over the Trump administration’s efforts to “dismantle mission-essential departments and reshape our arts programming without regard to the interests of program funders, philanthropists, national partners and the audiences we serve,” the NYT added. 

The KCUAW has since filed a petition for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board in partnership with the International Union, United Automobile, and the Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW). 

According to the SF Chronicle, union organizers expect to include 130 to 170 employees in the bargaining unit, from which 60% have already signed union authorization cards. For the union to be created, more than 50% of votes must be a yes. 

“This is a ground up, worker-led effort aimed at improving transparency and working conditions,” said Tim Smith, a UAW director. “We’re proud to have their back as they work towards a union election.”

“We demand transparent and consistent terms for hiring and firing, a return to ethical norms, freedom from partisan interference in programming, free speech protections and the right to negotiate the terms of our employment,” KCUAW posted on Instagram. 

“Union organizing is an unparalleled method of gaining power in the workplace and advancing our shared goals — including preservation of our world class artistic programming and industry leading workforce,” they continued. “Forming as Kennedy Center United Arts Workers will position us firmly inside a powerful local — and national — network of unionized workers fighting for workplace rights and fair treatment.”