Milwaukee Art Museum Union Responds To Sudden, Unexpected Layoffs

MILWAUKEE, WI — On Monday, leadership of the Milwaukee Art Museum (“MAM”) informed the Museum’s union shop committee, organized with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers’ Lodge 66 as “IAMMAM”, that eight positions would be cut or significantly reduced in scope and compensation through a combination of layoffs and reductions in hours and benefits. Additionally, several long vacant, unposted roles would be permanently eliminated. Of the filled positions impacted, six of eight are union-eligible.

The layoffs and cuts follow the recent, controversial departure of MAM Director Marcelle Polednik, who received public criticism for receiving multiple substantial raises while failing to secure long term financial stability for the Museum. Several of the affected employees have dedicated decades of service to the Museum, while recently filled positions—some less than a year old—are not being touched, raising serious questions from union members and other employees about MAM leadership’s decision-making process.

A spokesperson for the IAMAW Shop Committee released the following statement:

“Milwaukee Art Museum staff have long borne the brunt of the Museum’s supposed yearslong financial strain. Over the past two years, essential vacant positions have gone unfilled, critical resources have dwindled, and professional development has been curtailed and deprioritized. These cuts come despite a lack of transparency or accountability around budgeting decisions. Senior Leadership failed to offer sufficient justification beyond vague claims of ‘financial and operational challenges.’

This newest round of layoffs has been sudden and chaotic—department managers received word of them only moments before being told that roles in their own departments would be eliminated. Leadership’s handling of this situation reflects ongoing mismanagement, terrible internal communication, and a blatant disregard for the well-being of its staff.

It’s clear that none of these problems have been solved, or even mitigated, by the recent, controversy-tinged departure of MAM Director Marcelle Polednik. This Board of Trustees is substantially similar to the one that hired Polednik, gave her multiple raises, and eventually, seemingly compelled her resignation. This Board will also handpick Polednik’s replacement—if history is precedent it will do so without meaningful communication, much less cooperation, with the very workers who keep the Museum running. That is no longer acceptable.

It’s clear that MAM leadership—both the Board of Trustees and Senior Leadership—need to change course and actually prioritize the workers on the ground every day who educate the public, care for and curate the Museum’s massive, still growing collection, and ensure the building is a safe and beautiful place to visit. The redistribution of resources from those workers to senior management is a choice, one that should be left in the past along with Polednik’s management practices.

Right now, the status quo is prioritizing senior management’s comfort at the expense of everyone else. Senior Leadership Team (“SLT”) members are the only Museum employees who regularly receive annual raises beyond the cost-of-living increases negotiated by the union. While recently announced SLT “pay freezes” give the impression of fairness, we’ve seen no evidence that any member of the SLT will be taking a pay cut or forgoing annual bonuses. Meanwhile, union staff and other essential workers are consistently told that merit-based raises are not possible due to budget constraints—a justification contradicted on its face by leadership’s own compensation practices.

As we brace for these layoffs, our union’s Bargaining Committee will be present at every step to ensure that any severance packages negotiated with MAM are honored and that all actions comply with our Collective Bargaining Agreement. But we are deeply disappointed that these decisions are being made recklessly during such a critical time, and we call on the Museum to prioritize transparency, equity, and accountability in all staffing and financial decisions moving forward. We also invite members of the Board of Trustees to talk to us, actually listen to the Museum’s workers and experts, and build better processes together.

Ultimately, though, it’s clear that MAM can function day-to-day without a Director, but not without us. If and when the Museum’s doors close, leadership’s failure to prioritize, invest in, and retain staff will be to blame.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.