Rachel Berey-Wingate, a 24-year-old employee at Shedd Aquarium, shares her experience working at the aquarium without a union. She started her journey making $15.40 an hour in guest relations and had to work two jobs to make ends meet. After transitioning to a full-time role, her wage increased to $20 an hour, allowing her to sustain herself with one job. However, with the looming expiration of her parents’ health insurance coverage, she is concerned about managing healthcare costs on her own.
Recently, 180 Shedd employees, including Berey-Wingate, voted to unionize with Shedd Workers United and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 31. This decision followed a yearlong anti-union campaign from management, which resulted in charges of labor law violations.
The unionization effort aims to address issues such as low wages, high turnover rates, and inadequate benefits. For instance, guest relations staff start at $17 an hour, while even those working directly with animals earn just $23 an hour. In comparison, entry-level zookeepers at the unionized Lincoln Park Zoo make $29 an hour. Despite the challenges, employees like Michelle Nastasowski and Kirby Garcia are hopeful that unionizing will lead to positive changes in their working conditions.
Workers also faced obstacles during the unionization process, with management restricting discussions about the union at the workplace. Despite these challenges, employees remained committed to their cause, leading to a successful union vote. The union has now set its sights on negotiating the first contract with Shedd leadership to address concerns related to wages, benefits, and working conditions.
The unionization of Shedd employees is part of a larger trend in Chicago, with several cultural institutions, including the Art Institute and the Field Museum, unionizing in recent years. These victories signal a shift in valuing and prioritizing workers’ rights and well-being in the cultural sector. As the unionized workers at Shedd look ahead to a more secure and equitable future, they hope that their story will inspire others facing similar challenges in their workplaces to consider the power of collective action.
