Story and Photos by Acacia Rodriguez

Workers at the National Museum of Mathematics (MoMath) are amplifying their call for fairness, transparency, and respect on the job in the face of anti-union tactics deployed by management during the museum’s move to a new location.

In late winter 2024, after returning to the office following COVID-19 closures, MoMath employees reached out to DC 37 to explore unionizing. An Organizing Committee formed and began conducting one-on-one conversations with coworkers onsite to gauge interest and build support.

“A lot of the hard work was having conversations with people and sussing out who we needed to be more careful with our approach,” said one member of the Organizing Committee who spoke on the condition of anonymity out of concern for employer retribution. “Once we knew who was on board and who was a question mark, DC 37 stepped in to support.”

Ramon Marrero, one of several DC 37 organizers working with MoMath, emphasized the importance of growing relationships with workers interested in unionizing.

“When I visited the museum, I spoke to workers about what they liked and didn’t like about their jobs,” he said. “As we built the campaign, we wanted to keep in mind what negative issues needed solving and what positive aspects could be expanded.”

Marrero noted that many of the workers experienced the same issues: last-minute schedule changes leading to confusion, not being treated with dignity and respect, and unfilled positions leading to overwork. After he received enough designation cards to move forward with filing, the National Labor Relations Board (NRLB) announced that MoMath sought to unionize, and management responded with pushback.

In December 2025, museum managers began handing out fliers with legal jargon that vaguely outlined the challenges of unionizing and what could happen if workers voted for a union.

“They hired a ‘union consultant,’ and HR scheduled one-on-one meetings between the consultant and workers to intimidate us,” the Organizing Committee member said.

While management and workers awaited action from the NLRB, which faced a backlog of cases due to federal executive interference, MoMath pressed ahead with a planned relocation while keeping the existing space open. Rather than hiring outside movers or providing adequate planning support, management assigned museum staff to perform manual labor, including packing and transporting exhibits, while the museum remained open to the public. Workers were left to determine which exhibits were moving and when the new exhibits would open.

Since the unionization effort became public, the Organizing Committee continues to grow their relationships with workers. Emboldened by solidarity in the face of intimidation by management, MoMath workers are voicing their issues and adding to the list of demands for negotiation. Because the workers are resilient and focused, organizers anticipate a positive turnout for the election.

“Organizing is about people having a say in their lives and workplace,” said Fareed Michelen, DC 37 Director of Organizing. “Employers like MoMath are always scared to lose control, which is why they drag out the process and make workers’ lives miserable every step of the way. Unfortunately for them, united workers like our soon-to-be members at MoMath cannot be broken or intimidated from exercising their rights and obtaining their fair share.”

This article originally appeared in the January-March 2026 issue of PEPTalk Magazine.