Workers at the Aquarium of the Pacific will vote on the decision to unionize on Nov. 2, hoping to address issues with wages, the use of AI and more through bargaining.
Roughly 130 workers at the aquarium, including environmentalists, educators and guest service associates, are taking a second swing at unionizing after a single vote kept them from making the move in 2024.
In late 2025, workers again started discussing the possibility of creating Aquarium of the Pacific Workers United, according to AFSCME District Council 36 Communications Officer Daisha Benjamin.
They are asking management to address the same items as in 2024:
- Concerns around the growing use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in the aquarium’s operations
- Wages that workers say do not keep up with the cost of living
- A lack of professional development opportunities
“Over the course of that year, management had the opportunity to give them a seat at the table and fix these issues,” Benjamin said.
Instead, aquarium management brought in an anti-union consulting firm over the last year: PSLC, which specializes in maintaining a union-free work environment, according to their website. According to public tax filings viewed by the Signal Tribune, the aquarium paid PSLC over $200,000 in 2024 after workers attempted to unionize.
Management has also not voluntarily recognized the Aquarium of the Pacific Workers United, prompting workers to stage an official election with the National Labor Relations Board, slated for Nov. 2.
If their union is recognized, workers and management will enter a bargaining period, Benjamin said.
“I believe that the key to a healthy working environment is a workplace where staff feel encouraged to speak up, share their thoughts, and truly feel listened to and heard in return,” said Aquarium of the Pacific guest services employee Rissa Lising. “Unionizing would give us a seat at the table and a say in our future that we previously didn’t have.”
Workers are also circulating a petition urging the City of Long Beach to repair the aquarium elevators. According to the petition, two out of the three elevators at the aquarium are often broken or run extremely slow, which workers say poses a barrier for the disabled community, negatively impacting people’s experience and, as a result, the public has left negative reviews.
AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) represents about 74 local unions throughout Southern California, mostly consisting of public sector workers in the counties of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Orange and other regions. The organization has also been a part of the recent wave of cultural institution workers unionizing in recent years, Benjamin said.
Institutions such as the Museum of Contemporary Art, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, and Academy Foundation of Motion Pictures are part of AFSCME Cultural Workers United, the largest organizing movement for cultural workers in the country.
“We work hard every day, often doing the work of multiple people while facing constant changes and high expectations,” said Krystal Gonzales, who works in environmental services at the Aquarium of the Pacific, in a public statement. “We’re not asking for special treatment; we’re asking for fair workloads, support, respect, and a voice in the workplace. We’re coming together because our voices matter.”
The Aquarium of the Pacific is the largest aquarium in Southern California and welcomes over 1.6 million visitors a year. Union workers at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago and at the Monterey Bay Aquarium have sent letters of support to the Aquarium of the Pacific Workers United.
Residents who want to show their support for Aquarium of the Pacific Workers United can sign their elevator petition online and follow them on Instagram @aopworkersunited.
