Last Saturday, April 15, SEIU Local 1021 civil service members at the M. H. de Young Memorial Museum in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, came out to raise awareness about the health and safety of both museum workers and patrons alike. Among the significant concerns are the safety and health of security staff, the front-facing workers responsible for securing a safe space for all in the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.

For eight hours per day, security staff is on their feet on floors made of stone, marble, and pebbles. The continued standing for an entire day ends up causing health issues down the line, and security staff suffer from injuries far more often than necessary. Security workers also face restrictions in accessing several areas of the facilities, with management telling the workers that they are not responsible for securing areas that may contain precious artwork, controlled chemicals, and other vital laboratory equipment.

The management of the de Young Museum and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco have been unresponsive in addressing the needs of its workers.

“That is why we had to act,” said SEIU 1021 Museum Civil Service Chapter President Raina Johnson. “As a chapter, we fought for and won language in our contract to allow for security and other front-facing workers to sit in chairs for a portion of their shifts. We realize that for our workers to provide safety and security, they need to feel safe and secure in their work.”

SEIU 1021 civil service members at the de Young Museum spent their Saturday lunch break to leaflet the public outside the museum in Golden Gate Park. The action also brought another core demand from workers: Museum management must provide adequate training for the security staff.

“How can we provide security to our patrons and other staffers at the museum when we are not adequately trained to face several challenges, including active-shooter drills and earthquake evacuation procedures?”asked Johnson. “Management often gives security staff customer-relations training and nothing more.

“When our workers feel safe and secure, we can ensure the public feels the same way. As security staff, we work around the clock, 24 hours a day. We also have admission attendants and several other front-facing staff that all help to build a spectacular experience that the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco are known for across the country.”

Johnson was encouraged by what she saw when asked about public support during the leafleting action on Saturday. “We had so many positive interactions and conversations with our patrons. Often we would get reactions such as, ‘Oh, I am with you one hundred percent!’ or ‘That’s messed up that you can’t sit down at all during work.’ The message from the community was clear: ‘We’re with you.’”

Hundreds of signatures were collected supporting 1021 members fighting for better working conditions.

Johnson says the fight is not over, and more action will occur. “We will continue building our success at de Young Museum and spread our message to the Legion of Honor museum in Lincoln Park, where we will continue to educate our patrons about management’s lack of care and concern for our health and safety.”