Art Gallery of Ontario employees walk a picket line outside the AGO in Toronto, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. The union representing hundreds of striking Art Gallery of Ontario workers says it's reached a tentative deal with the museum. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston
TORONTO – The union representing hundreds of striking Art Gallery of Ontario workers says it’s reached a tentative deal with the museum.
The Ontario Public Service Employees Union says they reached the deal late last night, after 16 hours of bargaining.
The downtown Toronto museum has been closed for a month while more than 400 workers represented by OPSEU – including assistant curators, archivists and food and hospitality staff – were on strike.
They walked off the job after rejecting an offer from the AGO, which the union said failed to address key issues such as wage increases, protections for part-time workers and contracting out positions.
The union didn’t share details about their new tentative deal, which will soon go to a vote among the members, and the AGO did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
No information was immediately available about when the AGO would reopen.
The union has previously said that part-time employees make up more than 60 per cent of the AGO’s workforce, and they earn an average of $34,380 per year.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 25, 2024.
