Support Laid Off Workers @ SMM

[Updated]

On March 14th 2023, the Science Museum of Minnesota reduced staffing levels by approximately 9%, laying off 15 employees. These layoffs disproportionately affected BIPOC (1) and public union organizers and supporters(2).

This staffing reduction comes after an overwhelming majority of staff voted yes to unionizing under ASFCME Council 5, but before bargaining has begun on our first contract. SMM Leadership took this opportunity to make unilateral decisions regarding who and in what manner roles were eliminated, as well as severance packages.

SMM announced on the afternoon of March 6th that layoffs would be coming, stating that affected staff were to be informed on March 14th, a week later, with layoffs being effective immediately. SMM leadership included information on what severance would look like, including recall for affected staff if the museum's financial situation were to change in the future. The Science Museum has since reneged on the previously offered recall rights (3).

SMM Leadership’s layoff decisions were stated to have occurred in reverse seniority order, although this wasn’t the case for all affected staff (4). Layoffs disproportionately affected BIPOC1 and public union organizers and supporters (2). Severance was offered in the form of 2 weeks of base pay plus an additional week of pay per year employed—staff laid off were largely those with least seniority, with some having only worked at the Museum for a matter of months.

The Science Museum Staff community is heartbroken to see our colleagues affected by this sudden change in staffing levels, and are prioritizing supporting and aiding our colleagues at this time. We seek to support folks through this difficult time via mutual aid and crowdfunding.

This fundraiser is managed by SMM Union Organizers. 100% of funds will be distributed to affected staff.

JUNE 2023 UPDATE

Thank you so much to everyone who pitched in to support Science Museum of Minnesota workers who were laid off in March. Together, our community of supporters raised $7,465, which was distributed among 10 individuals who were affected by the layoffs and opted in to receive funds. Thank you for helping alleviate some of the financial stress for our fellow workers.

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1. In an All Staff Meeting on March 15th, Science Museum Leadership confirmed that 8 of the 15 staff affected (approx. 53%) by layoffs were of underrepresented identities. The SMM Staff Community has been able to confirm at least 7 of the 15 (approx. 46%) affected staff identify as BIPOC. While we can't share internal data, we can say that the layoffs did not reflect the racial demographics of the institution. If you would like to request this data, please contact Alison Brown, CEO, at [email redacted].

2. 9% of positions were eliminated, with ½ of those eliminated being open positions that will not be filled, and ½ of those eliminated being staff lay-offs. Of the 15 laid off staff, who represent 4.5% of the overall staff population, 5 (33%) were on our union flier, which consisted of 26 SMM Staff identifying themselves as Union Organizers with their pictures and names attached. This had been emailed to all staff and displayed on-site at the museum. Approx. 19% of the staff on this flier had their positions eliminated unilaterally by Science Museum Leadership, compared to 4.5% of the overall staff population.

3. Recall is often defined as the reinstatement of previously laid off employees to active status, and typically entails affected staff being offered their positions back should an organization’s financial situation recover to the point of such a decision being appropriate. On March 6th, CEO and President Alison Brown communicated to staff via email that staffing reductions were inclement. In this email, Brown stated that “we remain committed to offering those non-management positions to qualified former employees in seniority order.” AFSCME representatives also left conversations with leadership on March 9th under the impression that true recall would be offered to impacted staff. In an All Staff meeting on March 15th, it was confirmed by the Senior Leadership Team that no official recall process is in place, and affected staff will be given the opportunity to reapply for their positions should they be posted. As of March 17, HR personnel has consistently communicated that “there isn’t an official recall process”.

4. In at least one instance, a staff member was affected by the layoffs who had the same title and greater seniority than another unaffected staff member.