Denver, CO

Denver Art Museum workers vote to form a union, a first for an art museum in Colorado

Published

2 years ago

March 8, 2024

Denver Art Museum workers vote to form a union, a first for an art museum in Colorado

Workers at the Denver Art Museum (DAM) voted to form a union on Thursday (7 March), making the institution the first unionised art museum in the state of Colorado as more cultural workers across the country organise in a trend that has accelerated since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Some 67% of workers at the DAM voted to unionise under the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees-Cultural Workers United Council 18 (AFSCME Council 18), which is made up of workers in New Mexio and Colorado. The employees, who named themselves Denver Art Museum Workers United (DAMWU), said in a statement that they won the election by a 120 to 59 vote, despite an “intense anti-union campaign” on the part of the museum’s upper management. AFSCME filed more than 12 unfair labour practice charges against the museum on behalf of unit members as a result, the union said.

“Our wall-to-wall union recognises the importance of all of us in making the museum a place where art connects, inspires and empowers,” Kit Bernal, a curatorial assistant at the museum and union member, said in a statement. “I am so honoured to get to work with all of my incredible colleagues across the bargaining unit and the museum to build a better present and future for the DAM.”

Next, the union will bargain with museum management for its first contract, a process that has taken more than a year at several other institutions where workers recently unionised. The DAMWU said in an announcement that the unit plans to address issues like staffing, career advancement, disciplinary processes and fair wages.

“The museum supports employees’ right to unionise and is grateful for all those who voted and exercised their rights in this process,” a museum spokesperson said in a statement. “The museum is committed to bargaining in good faith with the union toward a collective bargaining agreement.”

The employees at the DAM first announced their intentions to unionise in January. In a statement, Trudy Lovato, a gallery host at the museum and co-chair of the union organising committee, said many of her colleagues suffered from food insecurity and general economic anxiety.

“These folks have multiple jobs, roommates, have to worry about getting to work, parking (there’s no employee parking), not to mention the body-stress that comes with many positions, in many departments at our workplace,” Lovato said.

Museum workers across the US have increasingly elected to unionise since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, when falling visitor numbers resulted in layoffs and cutbacks. Workers at institutions including the Dia Art Foundation, the Hispanic Society Museum and Library and the Jewish Museum in New York, the Wexner Center for the Arts at Ohio State University in Columbus, and many others have undertaken (and in many cases completed) the process of forming a union.

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Denver, CO

Ranking the Broncos free agent needs on offense

Published

2 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Ranking the Broncos free agent needs on offense

NFL Free Agency opens up on Wednesday, with the legal tampering period beginning on Monday. The top free agents usually all commit to a team during that period, so be ready to rock and roll to start next week.

I figured now would be a good time to do a little discussion around the Denver Broncos and where we think their top priorities should be on offense when free agency kicks off.

Broncos top FA needs on offense

Tim Lynch: For free agency, I’d say running back and tight end are the highest on my wish list.

I’d say pay big for a top free agent running back and ensure you have a monster two-headed backfield next season. They need a superior run-blocking tight end and, if they move on from Evan Engram, a pass-catcher too.

Christopher Hart: I agree with Tim. Those are the biggest needs for the offense. Getting a top-notch running back and a tight end capable of playing inline to replace Adam Trautman is a must. The two players I advocated a few weeks ago were running back Travis Etienne and tight end Cade Otton. Both would be fantastic additions and help take Denver’s offense to the next level in 2026.

Scotty Payne: Playmaker is the top and biggest need. That includes a RB, TE, and/or WR in that order.

Need to improve the run game regardless, need some sort of production out of the TEs as well as improved blocking, and if they can get a true WR1, that would be great too.

Ross Allen: I think we’re all in agreement.

Getting someone who can be the dominant running back and have RJ Harvey serve that glamorous “joker” role would be huge for this offense. And given that they also don’t have a legitimate playmaker at the receiving position hurts them. A TE or WR can fill that role.

Sadaraine: The #1 need for the Broncos on offense is a top-notch running back. I will be blown away if the Broncos don’t sign a top-tier free agent running back to upgrade the offense (and no, J.K. Dobbins wouldn’t be that guy…not with his injury history).

There’s a significant gap in need after that until we start talking about tight ends and receivers. I think we’re more likely to see more money spent on a tight end than a receiver, but this offense could use both to be sure.

Ian St. Clair: Not to beat a dead horse, but running back is the biggest need and priority for this team when free agency starts. Having a consistent and effective running game will make Nix and the offense exponentially better. It will make the team better. After running back, the Broncos need to figure out their tight end.

Adam Malnati: Give Bo a weapon. I don’t care which position. Yes, RB is a need. Yes, TE is a need (thanks a lot Evan Engram). Still, a weapon would be nice.

Predictably, we’re all heavily keyed in on running back and tight end. That was a big part of our free agent profile coverage too and for good reason. There have been many rumors around Denver looking to target both positions next week and where there is smoke there is usually fire.

The question really becomes: go big or go affordable? With the championship window open, I’m leaning go big on premium play-maker positions this offseason.

Where do you stand on this discussion? Give us your top free agent needs on offense and how you hope the Broncos address them next week.

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Denver, CO

Denver area events for March 5

Published

14 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

If you have an event taking place in the Denver area, email information to carlotta.olson@gazette.com at least two weeks in advance. All events are listed in the calendar on space availability. Thursday Camilla Vaitaitis Quartet — 6:30 p.m., Dazzle at Baur’s, 1080 14th St., Denver, go online for prices. Tickets: dazzledenver.com/#/events. Miguel — 7 p.m., Fillmore Auditorium, […]

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Denver, CO

Report: Broncos expected to ‘make a splash’ at running back

Published

1 day ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Report: Broncos expected to ‘make a splash’ at running back

The Denver Broncos are in the market for a running back.

Just two days after NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Denver wants to have the running back position addressed before the draft, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reported that the Broncos are “poised to make a splash” at running back during NFL free agency.

“Denver is the reason why the Jets used the franchise tag on Breece Hall rather than the transition tag, according to sources, making sure Denver wouldn’t get the opportunity to put together an offer the Jets would refuse to match,” Jones wrote for CBS Sports.

Jones said the Broncos would be an obvious potential landing spot for Kenneth Walker, and he noted that Travis Etienne could be a cheaper alternative. The Athletic’s Nick Kosmider also reported this week that Denver is expected to “closely examine” the RB market, and he name-dropped Walker, Etienne and Rico Dowdle.

The Broncos also have an in-house free agent at RB in J.K. Dobbins, who has expressed his desire to remain in Denver. The Broncos can begin negotiating with pending free agents from other clubs on March 9, but no deals can become official until the new league year begins on March 11. In-house free agents can be re-signed at any time.

Social: Follow Broncos Wire on Facebook and Twitter/X! Did you know: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.

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