We Have an Election Date!
Learn more about the election process and how we got here.
9/21/20262 min read
Photo Description: A seated man claps his hands while two unidentified women and a man appear to be singing and dancing in front of posters urging union members to vote in an upcoming election. The photographer Al Smith was a member of the Marine Cooks and Stewards Association of the Pacific, a CIO labor union which represented galley staff on steamships, so this photograph was possibly made in their office. Credit: MOHAI, Al Smith Collection, 2014.49.Box22.Folder25.006.
We’re excited to announce that MOHAI Workers United has reached an election agreement with MOHAI leadership! The union election will take place on Thursday, October 8th, 2026 at both worksites: the museum in South Lake Union and the MOHAI Resource Center in Georgetown.
A stipulated election agreement is a process in which both parties agree on the voting unit and any other disputed issues in lieu of a pre-election hearing conducted by the NLRB, which can potentially add months to the timeline.
MOHAI leadership took issue with nearly half of the positions MWU seeks to represent, claiming they are not in a shared community of interest. We disagree wholeheartedly, but have sufficiently parsed out who will be eligible to vote per NLRB guidelines.
There are positions that MOHAI contests are “supervisors.” They will vote subject to challenge, meaning their eligibility will be determined after the election.
MOHAI chose a strategic number of positions to designate as “professionals” who will vote in a sonotone election. These staff will be choosing both whether they would like to to be in the same bargaining unit as “non-professional” staff, and whether they would like to be represented by CWA.
The regular part-time and full-time non-professional staff includes “on-call” staff who work on average a minimum of 4hrs/week.
We’re glad we were able to reach this agreement, as it allows us to waive an NLRB hearing and significantly speeds the process up. However, time is of the essence, as MOHAI’s disinformation campaign has already begun with anti-union communications to staff, middle management, and the board of trustees.
Last week on Thursday September 17, MOHAI Workers United handbilled outside the museum in an attempt to speak with MOHAI board members directly as a way to foster greater transparency at the institution.
Our job over the next few weeks is to maintain a united front and encourage MOHAI leadership to stop union-busting. We know we can do it based on the incredible support we have already received from our colleagues, MOHAI partners, and broader community.
Voluntary recognition remains on the table for MOHAI leadership as the most cost-effective and collaborative path forward for the institution.
If you haven’t yet, please sign and share our community support letter and stay in touch on Instagram @mohaiworkersunited!