Reimagining the Museum with Eden Redmond: Why the Tacoma Art Museum Staff is Unionizing

Eden Redmond is the Institutional Giving Manager and one of the representatives of TAM WU: Tacoma Arts Museum Workers United. She graciously educates the We Art Tacoma team on the importance of union recognition and gives us all sorts of helpful info and updates!

TAM WU represents over 80% of eligible employees at the Tacoma Art Museum and are joining with the growing national movement of museum workers in Cultural Workers United (affiliated with WFSE / AFSCME Council 28 in Washington State). As of November 18th, 2022 the Tacoma Art Museum board released a statement refusing to voluntarily recognize TAMWU – a move that by many has been called union busting.

This movement is a big deal for Tacoma and for cultural workers around the country. A union in our local museum empowers the staff, gives them representation, bargaining power, and confirms their voice and perspectives are heard and considered. From the TAMWU website: “unions are not granted by employers, though they can be. They are voted into existence by workers themselves. If we need to create our union that way, without the good will of our employer, we are determined to do it.”

Check out TAMWU’s website for ways to support their organizing, including signing the community letter of support.

We also dig into Eden’s fun and fascinating creative work and research. Follow Eden on instagram!

A quick note: when Eden discusses the Seattle Art Museum and their unionizing, Eden wants to clarify that the SAM VSO Union is not part of WFSE; they are organizing as an independent union, and are responsible for their own representation and fundraising. 

Topics and shoutouts include: Bernal Baca, Tacoma Art Museum, Art Aids America, Stop Erasing Black People, WFSE, AFSCME, Cultural Workers United, Tacoma Art Museum Workers United, TAMWU, quiet time, arts leadership, unions, toxic work culture, reimagining museums, Human Rights Campaign, Tollefson Plaza, City of Tacoma, Clark County Historical Society, Nine to Five (the movie), research projects, The Bechdel Cast, film studies, women’s labor, women’s work, propaganda, art therapy, and more!