Months after former President Barack Obama’s museum’s opening this summer, employees at the museum foundation announced Wednesday they are organizing a union.
“Every day we come together across departments and across the country to bring President and Mrs. Obama’s vision to life,” the Obama Workers United open letter to colleagues reads. “We have faced many challenges while doing the unprecedented work of realizing that vision and, despite those difficulties, have worked hard to ensure success for our world-class institution.”
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Bobbie J. Wilson, from left, Emily Anderson and Debra Walker pose with statues of former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama on opening day at the Obama Presidential Center on June 19, 2026. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)
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Bobbie J. Wilson, from left, Emily Anderson and Debra Walker pose with statues of former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama on opening day at the Obama Presidential Center on June 19, 2026. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)
Those workers said they face increasing workloads, rolled back benefits and high turnover, according to the letter. “Due to this unsustainable work environment, many of our skilled, passionate colleagues continue to leave, taking with them their institutional knowledge and expertise.”
Some 68 museum visitor services employees, collections and exhibitions workers, custodians, receptionists and people working on the foundation’s global programming signed the letter urging senior leadership of the foundation to voluntarily recognize the union and “not waste resources on anti-union messaging, anti-union lawyers, or anti-union meetings,” citing Obama’s own historic support for organized labor.
In an emailed statement, Obama Foundation spokeswoman Emily Bittner said, “We are deeply committed to the fundamental right of workers to organize and make their voices heard. As members of our staff explore union representation, we approach this process with immense gratitude for their contributions, deep respect for unions, and a sincere commitment to working collaboratively with our partners in labor.”
“We respect employees’ right to organize and will evaluate any recognition request in accordance with applicable laws and procedures,” the statement continued. “We are proud of the compensation packages we offer, which include wages, health care coverage and time off benefits that are competitive with or exceed peer institutions.”
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31, the union with which the workers are organizing, said more than 250 staffers would be eligible to join the prospective bargaining unit.
The workers could seek voluntary recognition of their union if a majority of their number sign union authorization cards. With the support of at least 30% of the prospective unit, they could file for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board.
Around 200 of those in the group’s number are based in Chicago, with just over a dozen at foundation offices in Washington, D.C., AFSCME said. The rest are scattered around the country.
MJ Ulrich, a foundation employee based in Portland, Oregon, said she wanted to unionize to make the center “not just a great place to visit,” but also “a great place to work.”
AFSCME has steadily organized museum employees across the city, including at the Art Institute, the Museum of Science and Industry, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago History Museum and Field Museum.
“These employees are the heart of the Obama Foundation. Every day they do the work that makes the new Presidential Center such a remarkable addition to our city,” AFSCME Council 31 Executive Director Roberta Lynch said in a release. “Together in our union, they can ensure that the Foundation and Presidential Center are every bit as good a place to work as the Center is to visit.”
Years before its opening, salaries for top foundation staff outpaced other local cultural institutions and presidential centers around the country. The foundation raised $150 million last year and ended with net assets totaling $1.1 billion, according to its annual financial disclosures.
