We, the unionized workers at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, need your support.

We are fundraising in case we have to go on a prolonged strike while we negotiate our first contract. If we are forced to strike, this fundraiser will help reward us for our unpaid time. If we do not have to strike, the funds will be distributed equitably throughout the unit of 60 workers.

We are NOT currently on a prolonged strike. We have had two separate one-day Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) Strikes. We are raising a strike fund because most of us seriously struggle with the loss of even one day’s pay, as the average in-unit wage at the garden is $17.52/hr. Should we engage in a prolonged strike, we can’t start an official fund through our union until the strike begins.

We need a safety net.

We organized in November 2024. After the holidays, we began negotiations in early February 2025. We have not had an increase in wages in 2 years, even though there is nothing in the law that prevents the garden from giving cost-of-living raises, merit increases or other financial improvements. For more than 4 months, we have been negotiating over the issue of wages.

Our initial proposal was an equity adjustment of $3.50 per hour wage increase. We would still be earning an average wage that is less than the MIT calculated living wage in Henrico County of $24.98/hour (single, no children). The garden countered with 50 cents per hour wage increase. We lowered our proposal to $3 per hour, to which the garden offered an increase of 75 cents. During our third proposal pass, the garden changed their offer from discussing dollar amounts to percentages, and offered 3% for the initial increase. That amounts to an average of 52 cents per hour. That is a regressive proposal, which is not bargaining in good faith. We have filed an unfair labor practice charge that is being investigated by the National Labor Relations Board.

Currently, we are asking for a $2 equity increase across the board, with 3% raises in 2027, 2028, and 2029. The garden has countered back with a 3% initial equity increase (again it’s only 52 cents an hour), with 2.9% raises in 2027 and 2028, and 2.75% in 2029. Accounting for inflation, if we accept their offer, union members would be making less each year.

If the garden makes this proposal their “Last, Best and Final” offer, we will be forced to choose between ratifying the contract and accepting a wage we cannot live on, or vote it down and immediately strike.

We are skilled workers. Many of us have education, certifications and trainings we need to do our jobs. We toil every day to ensure Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is a safe, beautiful and flourishing space for the public. The garden’s offer is insufficient and does not reflect the respect our labor deserves.

We cannot and will not accept it.

For years, the Garden has used the excuse that they cannot afford to pay us more due to visitation being down. Yet, they had no issue spending upwards of $100k on union busting labor consultants. Those funds could have otherwise gone towards workers’ raises.

There is also a huge wage disparity between lower and middle level employees compared to the garden’s leaders who are making over 6 figures. For example, page 7 of 990 tax forms found on LGBG’s own website shows CEO Brian Trader earned $220K plus an additional $16K in other compensation. So, if he receives the 3% raise that is being offered to workers, that is a $6,000 increase. Surely if they can afford to pay their CEO well above the average for a nonprofit CEO in Virginia, then they can afford to pay their workers above average too.

To be clear, we’re not suggesting we all make CEO pay, but we need to earn closer to a living wage, and we know the garden can afford it. We all deserve better!

We have been negotiating our first contract for over 500 days. That exceeds the average length for a first contract negotiation. The garden has been very slow to respond to our emails, requests for counters, and in person meetings. They have been maintaining the same abysmal offer of 3%, despite us lowering our asks. It appears they are not trying to compromise, as we are, to reach a mutually beneficial agreement.

All of the workers care deeply for the garden and want to see it flourish. However, working at an organization that has demonstrated time and time again that they do not actually value their staff is extremely disheartening. We have seen so many hardworking people leave the garden because they cannot afford to work here any longer. We want to keep working at the place we love and help it become more sustainable. We want working at the garden to be a career path, not a footnote on a resume. We want the core values of the garden–hospitality, integrity, inspiration, innovation, and responsibility- to actually ring true so we can work here with pride. We need the garden’s actions to speak louder than their words because as one of our coworkers put it, “Thank you’s don’t feed our families.”

We greatly appreciate your attention and support! Here are some other ways you can help:

To Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden,

I am writing to cancel my membership in support of the unionized workers. I do not want my money supporting a campaign of union busting and unfair labor practices, rather than be used to provide a fair living wage for all employees. I encourage garden leadership to return to the negotiating table in good faith with a wage proposal that reflects the work and dignity of their employees.

Sincerely (Your name)

Office: [phone redacted] ext. 343 or [email redacted]

Thank you. We are so grateful to the community for the outpouring of support. Worker’s rights are human rights, and your solidarity means the world. We look forward to welcoming you back to the garden once we have a collective bargaining agreement that reflects the dignity and skill of our labor.

Thank you to @slow.poke.sam for the graphics!