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PASTA (MoMA Union) and Protests Collection
in The Museum of Modern Art Archives



The Museum of Modern Art Archives
11 West 53 Street
New York, NY 10019-5497
https://www.moma.org/research/archives/
© 2006
The Museum of Modern Art Archives
Finding aid prepared by MoMA Archives, 2006, updated by Rachel Garbade, 2025.

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Museum of Modern Art (New York, N.Y.)
Title: PASTA (MoMA Union) and Protests Collection
Inclusive Dates: 1963-2005
Quantity: 1.94 linear feet
4 5" manuscript boxes, 1 2.5" manuscript box, 1 12x17.5x3.5" oversize box
Abstract: Clippings, newsletters, correspondence, demonstration leaflets, and other documentation related to the activities of MoMA's largest union, originally called the Professional and Administrative Staff Association (PASTA) of The Museum of Modern Art, and now referred to as MoMA Local 2110.

Historical Note

Files in this collection cover the activities of MoMA's largest union, originally called the Professional and Administrative Staff Association of The Museum of Modern Art, or PASTA for short, which was founded in 1971. This was the first union of museum professionals in the country. The 1982 contract affiliated PASTA with District 65 of the United Auto Workers (UAW). District 65 merged with the UAW branch Local 2110 in 1992, as reflected in PASTA's 1996 contract. Since that time, the union has most commonly been known as "MoMA Local 2110."


Scope and Contents

Files include clippings regarding activities of PASTA and external labor movements; newsletters produced by PASTA and other labor organizations; memos to staff from MoMA directors and PASTA, which usually provide updates on contract negotiations, benefits, expansion projects, staff changes, and more; leaflets from strikes, rallies, and other demonstrations; and other relevant documents.


Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The records are open for research and contain no restricted materials.

Ownership and Literary Rights

PASTA (MoMA Union) and Protests Collection is the physical property of The Museum of Modern Art. Literary rights, including copyright belong to the authors or their legal heirs and assigns. Rights to work produced during the normal course of Museum business resides with The Museum of Modern Art. For further information, and to obtain permission to publish or reproduce, contact the staff of the MoMA Archives.


Index Terms

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the library catalog of The Museum of Modern Art. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.
Subjects:
Art Strike, New York, N.Y., 1970 -- Sources
Demonstrations -- New York (State) -- New York -- History -- Sources
Museum of Modern Art (New York, N.Y.) -- Employees -- Archives
Museum of Modern Art (New York, N.Y.) -- History -- Archives
Museum of Modern Art (New York, N.Y.) -- Strike, 1971 -- Sources
Museums -- Employees -- Labor unions -- History -- Sources
PASTA (Association)
Strikes and lockouts -- Museums -- New York (State) -- New York -- Sources
Document Types:
Clippings (information artifacts)    


Related Materials at MoMA and Elsewhere

In the MoMA Archives, the Archives Pamphlet Files include additional folders documenting strikes, protests, and other demonstrations at MoMA. Outside the Museum, related material can be found in the Professional and Administrative Staff Association (PASTA) of The Museum of Modern Art Records at the Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives at New York University. That repository also has related collections including United Automobile Workers of America, Local 2110 Records and United Automobile Workers of America, District 65 Records.


Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Published citations should take the following form:

Long version: PASTA (MoMA Union) and Protests Collection, [series.folder]. The Museum of Modern Art Archives, New York.

Short version: PASTA and Protests, [series.folder]. MoMA Archives, NY.

Provenance

Folders in Series I came from the Museum's press office, known as the Department of Public Information, and later, the Department of Communications.

Material in Series II and Series III came mainly from several staff members who at different times served as 2110 shop steward. Charles Silver, a film curator who was heavily involved with PASTA since its founding, donated material in 2001. Files belonging to film curator Mary Lea Bandy were transferred to the MoMA Archives in 2021. Lastly, files belonging to Danny Fermon, long-time librarian and previously a shop steward and active member of the union since its founding in the early 1970s, were transferred to the MoMA Archives in 2023. Additional material was also collected by the MoMA Archives and MoMA Library over the years.

Processing Information

During processing, Archives staff vetted all folders in Series II to ensure that only public-facing documents remained in the collection. Files were then re-arranged chronologically, when dates were known.


Container List

Series I: PASTA and Protests 1970-1990

Folder Title Date
I.1 PASTA Contracts

1971 PASTA contract; 1980 PASTA contract; 1982-1984 PASTA, District 65 UAW contract.

View PDF of folder 1

1971, 1980, 1982
I.2 MoMA Staff Walkout

Pre-PASTA. One issue of Organ, vol. 1, no. 2, Jul 1970; various clippings regarding the Guerrilla Art Action Group's protest of Guernica and the beginnings of unionization at MoMA.

View PDF of folder 2

1970
I.3 PASTA Staff Association

Task force reports on salaries, job security, educational benefits, working conditions; summary of operating income and expenses (1969-70); memo to the staff re: Discussion with the Staff Association; Proposed Recommendations of the Director to the Trustee Personnel Committee; press release, memos, and other correspondence regarding initial bargaining discussions; leaflet advertising meeting held by the Professional and Administrative Staff Association of The Museum of Modern Art; strike leaflets; correspondence regarding strike being averted; constitution of the Professional and Administrative Staff Association of The Museum of Modern Art.

View PDF of folder 3

1970
I.4 PASTA

PASTA Fact Sheet; clippings; press releases from PASTA; MoMA staff news; correspondence regarding contract negotiations and strikes of 1971 and 1973; demand letters and final offers; application for tuition aid; MoMA press releases concerning closures due to strike; PASTA leaflets; letter of support from Gloria Steinem.

View PDF of folder 4

1971-1979
I.5 PASTA

Clippings; correspondence regarding negotiations; PASTA press releases; PASTA leaflets; ephemera for the ART/WORK exhibition; PASTA Newsletter (vol. 9, no. 4, July 19, 1985; vol. 9, no. 5, October 3, 1985; vol. 9, no. 6, April 8, 1986); memorandum of agreement (1982-1984).

1980s
I.6 PASTA

PASTA leaflet (1990).

1990
I.7 Guards

Clippings regarding guards at museums and MoMA guards' strikes of 1968 and 1972; MoMA press releases and correspondence regarding 1968 and 1972 negotiations; MoMA press release regarding strike by the guards (1968).

1967-1972
I.8 N.Y.C. School Strike

Clippings regarding museum programming during the 1968 school strike in NYC.

1968
I.9 Attacks on MoMA

Clippings regarding demonstrations by outsiders, including Gene Swenson, at MoMA and criticisms of MoMA.

1968
I.10 New York Artists Strike Against Racism, Sexism, Repression and War

Clippings regarding PASTA strike 1973 and Art Strike Against Racism, War, Repression 1970.

1970-1973
I.11 Protest Action 1960/Art Workers Coalition 1970

Correspondence regarding protest against MoMA's favoring of abstract art.

1960, 1970

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Series II: Additional PASTA Files 1970-2005

This series was added in 2025.

Folder Title Date
II.1 1971-1973

Memos to all staff regarding union elections; Certification of Representation from the National Labor Relations Board; job descriptions; transcript of Susan Bertram's talk about PASTA at the Annual Meeting of The American Association of Museums in 1973.

1971-1973
II.2 1971-1977

Memos to staff; press release regarding the Trust for Cultural Resources of the City of New York; clippings regarding external labor movements and activities of PASTA.

1971-1977
II.3 1971-1978

Memo to staff; list of MoMA trustees.

1971-1978
II.4 1971-1978

Memos to staff; clippings regarding external labor movements and activities of PASTA.

1971-1978
II.5 1972-1974

Magazines with articles about PASTA: Museum News, vol. 50, no. 10, June 1972; Museum News, vol. 52, no. 9, June 1974; Art News, vol. 73, no. 1, January 1974.

1972-1974
II.6 1973-1974

Photograph of 1973 strike; PASTA fact sheet; clippings regarding external labor movements and activities of PASTA; letters of support from external institutions and artists; list of PASTA committees; job descriptions; news release from Local 153 regarding G.P. Putnam's Son union.

1973-1975
II.7* 1973-1975

Magazines with articles about PASTA: Artforum, vol. 12, no. 4, December 1973; Artforum, vol. 13, no. 6, February 1975.

1973-1975
II.8 1973-1977

Leaflet from Simon & Schuster Organizing Committee; memos to staff; clippings regarding activities of PASTA.

1973-1977
II.9 1974-1978

Harper & Row's collective bargaining agreement; clippings regarding activities of PASTA.

1974-1978
II.10 1975

Notes on social security and income tax changes; clippings regarding external labor movements and activities of PASTA; Museum Workers Association of New York City newsletter (February 1975).

1975
II.11 1975

Clippings regarding external labor movements and activities of PASTA; Arts and Humanities Bill H.R. 8274; list of MoMA trustee committees.

1975
II.12 1976

Clippings regarding external labor movements and activities of PASTA; memos to all staff and press release regarding condo building project; MoMA pension plan packets; invitation to join PASTA.

1976
II.13 1976

Memos to staff; press release with promotion announcements; invitation to join PASTA; clipping regarding MoMA condo project.

1976-1977
II.14 1976-1977

Memo to staff; Certification of Representation from the National Labor Relations Board.

1976-1977
II.15 1977

Memos to all staff; clippings regarding external labor movements and activities of PASTA; press release regarding the Trust for Cultural Resources of the City of New York; leaflets from Harper & Row strike; MoMA pension plan packet; list of salaries at the Met.

1977
II.16 1977

Press release from the New York Chapter of The American Institute of Architects regarding MoMA; clippings regarding external labor movements and activities of PASTA; MoMA Personnel Bulletin; guidance on interview questions; Summary Annual Report for MoMA's Long Term Disability Plan; memos to all staff.

1977
II.17 1978

MoMA Personnel Bulletins; issues of MoMA Staff News; clippings regarding external labor movements and activities of PASTA; memos to all staff and Friends of the Museum; leaflets from PASTA rally.

1978
II.18 1978

Memos to all staff; press release regarding the Trust for Cultural Resources of the City of New York; issues of MoMA Staff News; clippings regarding external labor movements and activities of PASTA; issues of MoMA Staff Bulletin.

1978
II.19 1978

Correspondence from the National Gay Task Force seeking union support; issues of MoMA Personnel Bulletin; issues of MoMA Staff News; clippings regarding external labor movements and activities of PASTA; memos to all staff; correspondence from District 65 to PASTA members.

1978
II.20 1978

Issues of MoMA Personnel Bulletin; clippings regarding external labor movements and activities of PASTA; memos to all staff; issues of MoMA Staff News; sound device permit.

1978
II.21 1979-1980

Clippings regarding external labor movements and activities of PASTA; correspondence regarding the addition of sexual orientation to the list of categories for which MoMA does not discriminate in hiring; sound device permit; memo to all staff.

1979-1980
II.22 1980-1981

Agreement of Affiliation with District 65 U.A.W.

1980-81
II.23 1982

An invitation to join PASTA; clippings regarding external labor movements and activities of PASTA; MoMA's Assumptions for Long-Range Forecast as of March 9, 1982.

1982
II.24 1982

Job descriptions; memos to all staff; clippings regarding external labor movements and activities of PASTA.

1982
II.25 1983

Job descriptions; documentation regarding labor law in relation to video display terminal operators.

1983
II.26 1984

Clippings regarding external labor movements and activities of PASTA; issues of MoMA Staff News; memos to all staff; District 65, UAW's research on MoMA salaries vs. inflation, 1971-1984; leaflet from PASTA boycott of members' dining room.

1984
II.27 1984

Clippings regarding external labor movements and activities of PASTA; leaflets from PASTA demonstration; sound device permit; memo to all staff; correspondence regarding Whitney Museum of American Art union.

1984
II.28 1984

Clippings regarding external labor movements and activities of PASTA; memos to all staff; sound device permit; correspondence regarding Whitney Museum of American Art union; PASTA leaflets.

1984
II.29 1985

Memos to all staff; list of salaries from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

1985
II.30 1986

District 65 UAW General Council Meeting Minutes; invitation to become a member of PASTA; clippings regarding external labor movements; memos to all staff.

1986
II.31 1986-1988

One job description.

1986-1988
II.32 1986-1987

Job descriptions.

1986-1987
II.33 1987

Clippings regarding external labor movements and activities of PASTA; Lesbian and Gay Labor Network newsletter; Education Department salary comparisons with other NYC museums.

1987
II.34 1987

Clippings regarding external labor movements and activities of PASTA; sound device permits; Visual Display Terminal (VDT) policy; memos to all staff; leaflets from PASTA demonstrations.

1987
II.35 1987

Request to add Gay Pride Day to the Museum appointment calendar; clippings regarding external labor movements and activities of PASTA; memos to all staff.

1987
II.36 1987 and Undated

Nine PASTA pins/buttons and one rubber stamp that reads, "The Professional and Administrative Staff Association of The Museum of Modern Art 11 West 53 Street New York, N. Y. 10019"

1987, undated
II.37 1988

Documentation about health benefit changes; clippings regarding external labor movements and activities of PASTA; District 65 UAW budget projections.

1988
II.38 1989

Daily Labor Report; clippings regarding external labor movements and benefits for gay employees and their partners; picket line instructions.

1989
II.39 1990

Issues of MoMA Staff News; memos to all staff; clippings regarding external labor movements and benefits for gay employees and their partners.

1990
II.40 1990

Memos to all staff; leaflets from PASTA demonstrations; clippings regarding external labor movements and activities of PASTA; blank union card.

1990
II.41 1991

Clippings regarding external labor movements, benefits for gay employees and their partners, activities of PASTA; memos to all staff; issues of MoMA Staff News; Research Summary: PASTA/MoMA Project by Eric Vieland.

1991
II.42 1992

Memos to PASTA members; issues of MoMA Staff News; leaflets from PASTA demonstrations; clippings regarding external labor movements.

1992
II.43 1993

Memos to all staff; leaflets from PASTA demonstrations; PASTA Boycott Bulletin II; clippings regarding external labor movements and activities of PASTA.

1993
II.44 1993

Memos to all staff; press release regarding Richard E. Oldenburg resignation; clippings regarding external labor movements and activities of PASTA; leaflets from PASTA demonstrations.

1993
II.45 1994

Clippings regarding external labor movements, benefits for gay employees and their partners, activities of PASTA; Strike Bulletin; press release regarding Richard E. Oldenburg resignation; memos to all staff.

1994
II.46 1994

By-laws of The Technical, Office and Professional Local 2110 UAW; memos to all staff regarding benefits for same sex domestic partners; memos to all staff on smoking restrictions.

1994
II.47 1995

Clippings regarding external labor movements and activities of PASTA; memos to all staff; flyers from Local 2110/UAW.

1995
II.48 1996-1997

Leaflets from PASTA demonstrations; memos to the staff; clippings regarding external labor movements and activities of PASTA.

1996-1997
II.49 1998-2000

Memo to staff; clippings regarding external labor movements and activities of PASTA.

1998-2000
II.50 1999

Magazine with article about MoMA UAW Local 2110: Solidarity, vol. 42, no. 4, April 1999.

1999
II.51 Undated

Leaflets from PASTA demonstrations; clippings regarding external labor movements and activities of PASTA; memos to staff.

1989-1990, undated
II.52 Undated

Research regarding benefits at other institutions; memos to staff; leaflets from PASTA demonstrations; clippings regarding external labor movements and activities of PASTA; constitution of The Professional and Administrative Staff Association of The Museum of Modern Art; press release from Local 153 about Macmillan union.

1975, undated
II.53 Undated

Leaflets from PASTA demonstrations; strike duty sign up sheet; clippings regarding activities of PASTA.

Undated
II.54 Undated

Leaflets from PASTA demonstrations; VDT Health and Safety Guidelines; memos to all staff; The Museum of Modern Art OPENS brochure (May 1984); blank union card.

1980-1990, undated
II.55 Undated

Leaflets from PASTA demonstrations; clippings regarding activities of PASTA; invitation to join PASTA; contact sheet from undated strike; MoMA Staff News.

Undated
II.56 Undated

Memos to staff; affiliation agreement between PASTA and District 65-UAW; leaflets from PASTA demonstrations; clippings regarding external labor movements and activities of PASTA.

1978-1981, undated
II.57 Undated

Memos to staff; invitation to join PASTA; leaflet from PASTA demonstration.

Undated
II.58 Undated

Memos to staff; invitation to join PASTA; catalog from Art/Work exhibition; clippings regarding external labor movements.

1986-1993, undated
II.59 Undated

Claim Form for UAW members on authorized strike; clippings regarding external labor movements and activities of PASTA; memos to staff; strike ephemera from PASTA demonstrations.

2000-2001

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Series III: PASTA Newsletters 1977-1998

This series was added in 2025.

Folder Title Date
III.10 PASTA Newsletter 1986

Includes the following issues: vol. 9, no. 6, April 8, 1986.

1986
III.11 PASTA Newsletter 1987

Includes the following issues: vol. 10, no. 1, March 18, 1987; vol. 10, no. 2, June 23, 1987; vol. 10, no. 3, October 16, 1987; vol. 10, no. 4, November 6, 1987.

1987
III.12 PASTA Newsletter 1990

Includes the following issues: vol. 11, no. 1, November 8, 1990; vol. 11, no. 2, November 19, 1990.

1990
III.1 PASTA Newsletter 1977

Includes the following issues: vol. 1, no. 1, October 1977; vol. 1, no. 2, December 1977.

1977
III.2 PASTA Newsletter 1978

Includes the following issues: vol. 2, no. 1, March 1978; vol. 2, no. 2, May 1978.

1978
III.3 PASTA Newsletter 1979

Includes the following issues: vol. 3, no. 1, April 1979.

1979
III.4 PASTA Newsletter 1980

Includes the following issues: vol. 4, no. 1, May 1980; vol. 4, no. 2, June 1980; vol. 4, no. 3, July 16, 1980; vol. 4, no. 4, July 18, 1980; vol. 4, no. 5, July 22, 1980; vol. 4, no. 6, August 1980; vol. 4, no. 7, November 1980.

1980
III.5 PASTA Newsletter 1981

Includes the following issues: vol. 5, no. 1, February 1981; vol. 5, no. 2, May 1981; vol. 5, no. 3, November 1981.

1981
III.6 PASTA Newsletter 1982

Includes the following issues: vol. 6, no. 1, February 1982; vol. 6, no. 2, April 1982; vol. 6, no. 3, June 1982; vol. 6, no. 4, August 1982; vol. 6, no. 5, August 1982; vol. 6, no. 6, September 1982; vol. 6, no. 8, October 18, 1982; vol. 6, no. 9, November 1982.

1982
III.7 PASTA Newsletter 1983

Includes the following issues: vol. 7, no. 1, January 1983; vol. 7, no. 2, August 1983; vol. 7, no. 3, September 1983.

1983
III.8 PASTA Newsletter 1984

Includes the following issues: vol. 8, no. 1, May 1984; vol. 8, no. 2, June 1984; vol. 8, no. 3, October 1984.

1984
III.9 PASTA Newsletter 1985

Includes the following issues: vol. 9, no. 1, February 14, 1985; vol. 9, no. 2, April 1, 1985; vol. 9, no. 3, June 14, 1985; vol. 9, no. 4, July 19, 1985; vol. 9, no. 5, October 3, 1985.

1985
III.13 PASTA News 1991

Includes the following issues: no. 1, February 21, 1991; no. 2, March 21, 1991; no. 3, April 24, 1991; no. 4, May 23, 1991; no. 5, June 19, 1991; no. 6, July 25, 1991; no. 7, August 22, 1991; no. 8, September 19, 1991; no. 9, October 24, 1991; no. 10, November 15, 1991; no. 11, December 16, 1991.

1991
III.14 PASTA News 1992

Includes the following issues: no. 12, February 24, 1992; no. 13, March 25, 1992; no. 14, June 2, 1992; no. 15, June 18, 1992; no. 16, June 25, 1992; no. 17, July 24, 1992; no. 18, September 15, 1992; no. 19, November 24, 1992.

1992
III.15 PASTA News 1993

Includes the following issues: no. 20, January 22, 1993; no. 21, February 19, 1993; no. 22a, March 29, 1993; no. 22, April 7, 1993; no. 23, April 23, 1993; no. 24, May 10, 1993; no. 25, May 14, 1993; no. 26, May 26, 1993; no. 27, June 22, 1993; no. 28, June 25, 1993; no. 30, July 22, 1993; no. 30, September 3, 1993; no. 31, October 26, 1993; no. 32, November 12, 1993; no. 32, November 22, 1993; no. 34, December 13, 1993.

1993
III.16 PASTA News 1994

Includes the following issues: no. 35, January 3, 1994; no. 36, February 10, 1994; no. 37, February 17, 1994; no. 38, March 1, 1994; no. 39, April 22, 1994; no. 40, May 4, 1994; no. 41, May 18, 1994; no. 42, May 24, 1994; no. 43, July 7, 1994; no. 44, August 5, 1994; no. 45, November 18, 1994.

1994
III.17 PASTA News 1995

Includes the following issues: no. 46, February 15, 1995; no. 47, April 28, 1995; no. 48, July 24, 1995.

1995
III.18 PASTA News 1998

Includes the following issues: Vol. 1, No. 1, January 1998; Vol. 1, No. 2, June 1998.

1998

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Box and Folder List

File numbers marked by an asterisk (*) indicate oversize material that have been separated to the end of the collection.
Researchers should include the asterisk when issuing a request for such material.
Series Folder Box
I 1-11 1
II 1-6, 8-21 2
II 22-46 3
II 47-59 4
III 1-10 4
III 11-18 5
II 7* 6


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