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SFMOMA downsizes workforce by almost 30 employees due to financial difficulties

SFMOMA to diminish workforce by approximately 40 roles, with 26 of those being unionized staff members.

SFMOMA to slash workforce by approximately 40 roles, impacting 26 union members.
SFMOMA to slash workforce by approximately 40 roles, impacting 26 union members.

SFMOMA downsizes workforce by almost 30 employees due to financial difficulties

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Announces Significant Staff Reductions Amid Financial Struggles

In a move that has drawn criticism from union representatives, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) has axed 29 positions, accounting for nearly 8% of its workforce. The affected employees, primarily union members, hold various roles within the museum.

In a statement, Christopher Bedford, the museum's director, attributed the cuts to financial challenges plaguing the institution's operations. The reductions involve 20 full-time positions and 9 part-time roles.

SFMOMA's administration delivered the layoff notices with little notice, according to union official Nat Naylor. The museum did not provide an opportunity to discuss the decision or negotiate severance terms beforehand.

Approximately 26 of the 29 positions eliminated belong to the Office and Professional Employees International Union Local 29. Union members who have been let go are reportedly engaged in visitor experience roles.

While details remain scarce, it is unclear if curatorial or senior-level management roles were affected. The staff reductions come during ongoing contract negotiations between the museum and its union, with a focus on securing better protections for worker benefits and addressing pay disparities.

The museum has already experienced financial difficulties, including an operating deficit of $3.6 million in the fiscal year 2024, a decrease from the previous year's deficit of $7.6 million. This financial strain compounds the impact of reduced visitor numbers due to the pandemic and increased competition for philanthropic funding.

Additionally, SFMOMA, along with other West Coast institutions such as the de Young and the Asian Art Museum, has suffered potential cuts to federal arts funding due to White House's cuts to humanities grants.

The museum previously cut 20 staff positions in November 2023, eliminating 7 roles and leaving 13 vacancies unfilled, citing a sharp drop in attendance attributed to broader declines in Bay Area foot traffic since the pandemic. At the time, Bedford described the move as a necessary response to the museum's current financial realities.

  1. The affected employees at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) primarily hold roles in the visitor experience, as many of them belong to the Office and Professional Employees International Union Local 29.
  2. In ongoing contract negotiations between the museum and its union, there is a focus on securing better protections for worker benefits and addressing pay disparities, especially in the light of the recent staff reductions.
  3. During these financially challenging times for SFMOMA, other West Coast institutions such as the de Young and the Asian Art Museum might also experience potential cuts to federal arts funding due to White House's cuts to humanities grants.
  4. The announcement of significant staff reductions at SFMOMA marks a continued shift in the museum industry, where finance and business considerations are increasingly influencing the art and painting sectors, even at prestigious modern art museums like SFMOMA.

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