Artist Daniel Arsham faces allegations of violating national labor laws, including the firing of an employee for their union activities, according to a complaint filed on Tuesday by a Brooklyn regional director of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
In November 2023, employees at Daniel Arsham, Inc. voted to join the Wholesale and Chain Store Food Employees Union, Local 338. Prior to the union election, Arsham allegedly violated the National Labor Relations Act by requiring employees to attend a meeting at his Long Island City headquarters to expose them to his anti-union statements, as stated by an NLRB spokesperson. The complaint also accuses a labor consultant of threatening stricter policy enforcement and potential firings if employees supported unionization. One employee was reportedly disciplined and fired in retaliation for their union support.
The complaint was filed by NLRB’s Region 29-Brooklyn’s Regional Director after an investigation found the allegations credible. The Regional Director’s office will first seek a settlement that requires Arsham to take several actions: hold a meeting to read a notice of employee rights, distribute the notice electronically, conduct a mandatory NLRB training for all managers on employee rights, compensate the terminated employee for lost wages and benefits, and send an apology letter to the employee.
If a settlement cannot be reached, a hearing with the NLRB Administrative Law Judge will take place on October 15 in Brooklyn.
