Hello colleagues! I'm Marie Angel (she/her/hers), and I joined CAS in 2018 as a Curatorial Assistant in the Geology collection. As a founding member of your CalAcademy Workers United Organizing Committee, I’ve had the privilege of meeting so many passionate colleagues. This experience has led me to the understanding that, while we love the work we do, we are always being asked to do more with less resources and stagnant pay. I believe in the work we do and I love collaborating with all of you. Building our collective power together and winning our union election has been an incredibly inspiring experience.We all deserve a contract that goes above and beyond “fair.” We deserve a contract that ensures job security, workplace safety, sustainable and equitable wages, and full transparency in the decisions that affect us all. Many of us, particularly in IBSS, find ourselves in a situation where our dedication exceeds our compensation. Our responsibilities and workloads extend well beyond our roles. To truly feel like CAS is a just and equitable institution, we need to build trust, transparency, and honesty. This requires paying us for the value we provide.I am dedicated to advocating not only for staff in IBSS, but for every position at CAS. I’ve gained invaluable labor organizing skills as a member of your Organizing Committee and I look forward to continuing my development as a member of your Bargaining Team. My communication abilities, resilience, composure under pressure, and persuasive skills will be assets on the team. I am determined to keep you informed throughout the bargaining process and to bring you a contract we can all be proud of. Thank you so much for your support!

Hi, I’m Kel.

I’ve been at the museum for 8 years and I’m best known for sending you a lot of all-staff emails.

I started as a student at the Academy and I’ve worked for and with many departments. I think I have some insight into the structure of the Academy that could be useful to this group.

Congratulations to everyone for reaching this stage of the bargaining process!

When I first heard whispers about unionizing, there wasn't anything in my work relationship that made me think that I needed this type of representation. I was content with my job and compensation. Then I began talking to some of my colleagues in other departments and realized that they have a completely different experience, and that even though I did not feel like I needed a union, my co-workers did. I voted to unionize. Reading about the varied ways other unionized institutions utilize volunteers alongside union members, I began to have strong concerns about how this union would affect the people who give their time to CAS and our marine mammal stranding program. They are essential for our field research coverage in areas where we have no employees. I heard from people in other departments who shared the same concerns. I would like to represent the faction of employees who share the same experience as me through this bargaining period, and underscore the need for union members to work alongside our valuable volunteers. I'd also like to support those in the union who have a different experience than I do, so confidence and morale can be elevated to a level that is acceptable for everyone. Everybody deserves a safe, happy, inclusive workplace, and I would like to work with the bargaining team to bring that to the employees of Cal Academy. Thank you for you consideration!

I love the academy and the people who work here, and I am determined to advocate for our rights. Your voice matters; successful bargaining hinges on collective engagement. The academy needs to live up to its mission of science by providing a workplace where scientists can thrive.

Our aquarium staff works incredibly hard to care for our animals and plants, often in hazardous conditions onsite and in the field. The Aquarium is such an important part of CAS and beloved by so many guests and yet our compensation doesn’t represent the value we bring to the institution. I want to ensure that Aquarium staff are represented in these negotiations and the specific needs of our department are met.Having worked here since 2008 for several departments, I know how hard all CAS employees work and I will represent that passion on the bargaining committee.

Hello CalAcademy Workers United fam! My name is Aleks (they/them) and I am new to the Academy, starting the Youth Action for the Planet program in the Education division! I can't wait to step up to serve on the Bargaining team-- I come to the Academy with ten years of community organizing experience under my belt, organizing primarily alongside undocumented workers and families to win back pay, protections in their workplace, and permanent protections from the state (like legislation for temporary workers). I'm excited to connect with more of you and get to know what feels like sustainable, healthy, and just working conditions for you, regardless of your departmental affiliation. I promise to dedicate myself to the Bargaining Team role if selected and advocate fiercely for our collective rights, dignity, and respect as workers. Let's win together!

The recognition of CalAcademy Workers United is a huge shift for the entire Academy. I'm excited about the opportunities we have to make changes that will benefit Academy staff across departments and divisions, and to solidify and strengthen the many aspects of working here that we love. I want to join the bargaining team in order to make sure that what we fight for in our first contract is truly a reflection of what Academy staff wants. The process of bargaining our first contract is both an opportunity to continue to build community, and to make significant improvements for everyone. Thank you for this opportunity!

Hi! I’m Natalie Tan-Torres, the School Programs Coordinator at CAS. I have experience in organizing work by means of fundraising, creating affinity groups and committees at multiple organizations and spaces. I co-founded the Academy’s first cultural affinity group, CONCIENCIA and I am a part of our Indigenous Solidarity Committee. I’m passionate about building community, JEDI work, and centering Native knowledge and partnerships. I really believe that there needs to be a life balance in the growing pains of making change and experiencing joy. We can’t deliver on our mission statement if we’re also worried about making ends meet. As a bargaining team member I promise to advocate for fair and livable wages, job security, and act in the interest of our colleagues!

Hello! My name is Teddy Vollman and I want to be a part of the bargaining committee because every day I come into the Academy, I see the hard work each and every employee is doing to make our institution as amazing as it can be. At the same time, I see that dedication taken advantage of. I see the erratic scheduling, the lack of contingencies, and the last-minute changes. Our leadership says that this is the best they can do, but if they have the money for union-busting lawyers, they have the money to do right by us. As we get ready to bargain, we need a team that knows what we are worth and won't back down, and I believe I can be a part of that team. One Academy, One Union!

I'm honored to potentially have the opportunity to serve my coworkers on the union bargaining team. As a SAC council member for the last year, I have seen first-hand how hungry we all are for change. I am eager to connect more with my colleagues and help bring our collective needs to the table.

Salutations to all my fellow CAS Colleagues!

My name is Samantha, and you may have seen me around the Academy setting up audio and visual equipment around our museum, sound checking and taping down electrical lines, striking an event, and/or troubleshooting through one of our many exhibits throughout the years. I've been working in our AVEE department here at CAS since September 1, 2015! Through my 8+ years here, I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know folks from all different departments, and working together to ensure all of our events come to fruition smoothly, and that all of our exhibits and systems are working properly. Those of you that already know me know that I'm rooted in a "Teamwork makes the dream work" mentality, and that's a reason I accepted this Bargaining Team nomination. I wholeheartedly believe that each employee brings a big value to our company here at CAS, which includes all of your voices that are long overdue in being heard. A unique asset I'd bring to the Bargaining Team table is that last summer of 2022 I became a Certified Mediator in Conflict Resolution, where I learned instrumental tools to provide and teach progressive and effective communication skills through conflict. My emphasis on transformative and facilitative mediation styles align well with what our Bargaining Team work entails, and I thoroughly enjoy working collaboratively to find resolutions and solutions to issues. In addition, I also have experience previously working in two other unions: SAG-AFTRA and IATSE Local 16, both here in San Francisco. With my versatility, knowledge, and experience, my hope, if elected, is to accurately and authentically represent the voices of ALL of us, on-calls included, throughout this process, which would include connecting with more folks in each department that makes our wonderful Academy function. I wholeheartedly believe that in working together, this next chapter will create a new light throughout our workforce in which ALL of our opinions will finally not only be heard, but valued as well.

No matter what happens, I look forward to continuing to connect and build with you all! Thank you for your time reading this, and when/if you see me around and we haven't met yet, don't be shy, say hi! :)

I want our union to succeed! In a previous job I was in a union that didn’t last; one of the things that hurt it was that the union had become “them” rather than feeling like it was created and driven by “us”, the members. I see here the chance to take part in helping build a different and positive story for our union from the very start. This contract negotiation is going to be a long process. I’m sure at times it’ll be slow, tedious and frustrating, and it would be really easy to just leave the work to someone else. But the benefits offered by a union aren’t free. We will pay for the success of our union through our willingness to be involved and work for it. I’m volunteering to put in the effort to learn about the process, listen to what people have to say, and do my best to see that those wishes are well-represented in our contract.

I have been at the Academy for about 8 years now, moving from on-call to fulltime about a year before my covid layoff. After returning to a full time position at CAS, I was lucky enough to join the organizing committee in March of this year. I have worked closely with many departments at the Academy over the years, but through the organizing process, I was able to foster new lines of communication with even more teams. I'm simply looking to build on that groundwork and use the skills I acquired in the organizing phase to best represent Academy staff at the bargaining table. This first contract will be a historic one with lots of voices to be heard and considered, and I believe I'm well suited to be a strong negotiator at the table and fight for the fair contract we deserve.

Hi everyone, my name is Gabby and I’m a GE Sales Associate and I've been at CAS since March of 2023. I’m passionate about serving on the bargaining committee because I believe that our workers should be informed about company decisions and how they may impact them, make a fair wage, be protected from unexpected internal changes, and be unified as one organization. I love this museum and am so inspired by all of the amazing people we have here throughout the different departments and am so grateful to be here. Although I haven't been here long, I think that I would be a great candidate for the committee because of my insight particularly within my department. Thank you for your consideration, and I'm excited to see the next steps in this process.

Bargaining a strong first contract is critical to establishing our union and setting us up for a thriving future together. Having worked in many different departments, I have a multi-faceted understanding of our institution and the needs of workers throughout. As a member of the organizing committee, I’ve had the opportunity to have hundreds of conversations with y’all and through that I’m hopeful I can faithfully represent our diverse and dynamic perspectives and ensure that our contract reflects that