The signs said “Living History, Living Wages.”

PLYMOUTH – The signs said “Living History, Living Wages,” and the rally drew a crowd to the Plymouth waterfront Sunday, as Plimoth Plantation’s new union Local #2320, The Society of Allied Museum Professionals, gathered to push Plimoth Plantation for a contract.

“I think it was absolutely successful,” Local #2320 Vice President Erin Gillett said Monday. “I think we got the word out to a lot of people in Plymouth and who live in surrounding areas. We probably had 150 supporters who came specifically for the rally. We haven’t really gotten any response from Plimoth Plantation management.”

A majority of Plimoth Plantation employees in several departments, including historic interpreters, Craft Center artisans and others, have unionized. In addition to what they term low wages, they say they can’t resolve issues of chronic under staffing, safety and a lack of respect from management, which they claim retaliates when employees air concerns. Gillett said they had little choice but to unionize because communication had become impossible with management.

“We organized our union because of the drastic changes in attitude toward staff and because of deteriorating working conditions at Plimoth Plantation,” The Society of Allied Museum Professionals Chairman Kate Moore stated in a press release. “We found ourselves working hours in isolation, having more tasks, with no breaks and no water. Morale plummeted. Staffing levels continued to decrease. There was no job security. Many work at minimum wage. We wanted a voice without fear of reprisal. This is our notice to you that we believe the employer is not bargaining in good faith and does not want a contract – which we have a right to. We want just and good-faith bargaining now.”

Management doesn’t agree, and refutes union claims.

“We don’t want to rebut the union’s misrepresentations point by point, but they are, indeed, misrepresentations,” Plimoth Plantation spokesman Kate Sheehan said in a written statement. “Rather than get into that, let’s let the facts speak for themselves: We have many long-term employees. Roughly half of the employees who are part of the bargaining unit voted against the union.”

Sheehan stressed that the decision to unionize won by only three votes, meaning nearly half didn’t want to unionize. Long-time Plimoth Plantation employee Rita Hutchinson was one of those dissenting votes. She said she respects her fellow employees but does not feeling forming a union is the answer.

Meanwhile, Gillett and others say Plimoth Plantation leadership is speaking out of both sides of their mouths, claiming there isn’t money for salary increases, while stating that the museum’s finances have improved significantly.

Plimoth Plantation Board of Trustees Chairman Stephen Brodeur addressed that concern in a written statement:

“Today, while the financial position has improved and we are now moving toward a sustainable future, there are substantial additional hurdles to be overcome, including navigating the planned absence of Mayflower II until 2019 for a major restoration,” Brodeur wrote. “All of our efforts to achieve stability occur as many museums, including Plimoth, face lower attendance.”

Gillett said Plimoth Plantation will negotiate with the union in another session this week. United Automobile Workers, or UAW, is representing the union in these negotiations, but five union members are also present during these discussions. Gillett is one of the five, and says management does not treat her and others with respect.

“They continually call us liars,” she said. “They dismiss us. They say we’re not telling the truth. They claim they didn’t know there was a problem even though we have brought it up time and time again.”

Plimoth Plantation employees in departments that have unionized must become part of the union unless they opt out, according to Gillett. Union dues are 1.44 percent of a union employee’s income, Gillett explained, and those won’t be collected until a contract is signed.

During the Sunday rally, union members collected 370 signatures within half an hour from waterfront businesses and citizens who support the union, Gillett said. The petition with its signatures will be presented to management and the board of trustees.

Follow Emily Clark on Twitter @emilyOCM.