Philadelphia Museum of Art workers to strike as contract talks stall

Yes, but: The museum is expected to remain open despite the strike.

The big picture: The strike comes at a time when the museum is in the midst of leadership changes and preparing for a major installation.

• The museum's new director and CEO, Sasha Suda, takes over this month, and its newest exhibit "Matisse in the 1930s" is scheduled to open Oct. 20

Flashback: Union members, who've been negotiating with the museum on a new contract for two years, held a one-day "warning" strike earlier this month.

What they're saying: Adam Rizzo, DC47 Local 397 president and museum educator, told Axios that the museum's contract proposals for wage increases were "insulting" as union members struggle with rising inflation and high health care costs.

• Low wages have also fueled an exodus of museum employees in recent months, he said.
• "Management has been digging in their heels and they're not offering anything that will improve the lives of the workers," Rizzo said.

Norman Keyes, a museum spokesperson, did not return Axios' request for comment.