DIAWU Organizing Committee Letter & Photo Release
Detroit Institute of Arts Strategy Team,
The crown jewel of the DIA, the Detroit Industry Murals, reveals Diego Rivera’s understanding of the necessity of a unified labor force working in solidarity. These murals remind us that Detroit is built on the strength of working people. When workers are respected and united, the whole community thrives. We are dedicated, hard-working, and passionate individuals who love connecting art to our communities in Detroit and beyond. We are committed to upholding the DIA’s mission of establishing the museum as a town square and space of belonging.
To truly achieve our shared vision of a welcoming town square in which the communities and the staff who serve them are heard, respected, and valued, we, the strong majority of workers of the Detroit Institute of Arts, are exercising our freedom to form a union with members from various departments and diverse roles across the institution. The labor of our hands, hearts, and minds mold the widely celebrated accolades and achievements of our highly esteemed institution, and we seek recognition, inclusion, and respect.
Through a unified voice, we aim to compel necessary changes that protect the well-being of the workers of the DIA and actualize shared commitments. Our vision for positive change is rooted in the freedoms every worker deserves:
- To earn a fair, equitable, and livable wage that reflects our creativity, quality, and skills, while also allowing us to provide for our families
- To have project workloads, staffing levels, and schedule cadence that support quality work, professional development, and work/life balance
- To build a future with job security and clear, consistent, and equitable pathways for career progression
- To have valued input as professionals that is considered by leadership when decisions are being made
- To be treated with respect and to work in safety, free from harm
- To work in a healthy environment where retaliation and disrespect are clearly defined and not tolerated
In line with the DIA’s values of trust, respect, and collaboration, we are seeking voluntary recognition as DIA Workers United under AFSCME Michigan Organizing Committee 925. We ask that you respond within 48 hours of receipt to [email protected]. We look forward to working with you directly at the bargaining table.
Together, we can make the DIA a place where both art and workers are valued, and where our community sees its values reflected not just on the walls, but in the workplace.
DIA Workers United Organizing Committee