Attendees at Sotheby’s auction in Toronto at the Royal Ontario Museum on Monday were met by a large group of protesters in an act of solidarity with the locked-out art handlers at Sotheby’s in New York City.
A delegation of art handlers from New York had set up an informational picket line with the help of local activists. According to rabble.ca:
Joining them on the sidewalk were 50 other local trade unionists from not only the Teamsters but also the labour council, electrical workers, hotel workers, and outside workers for the City of Toronto.
Holding signs with a picture of Edvard Munch’s expressionist classic The Scream reading “Sotheby’s bad for art.” Protesters chanted “Union busting is disgusting!”, “No work? No Peace!” and “Up with the union! Down with scabs!” as well-heeled patrons bristled past the line of burly unionists, occasionally taking the informational leaflets offered to them.
Inside the auction, Sotheby’s auctioned art pieces that sold far past their pre-sale estimates. According to The Globe and Mail:
A light-hearted Jean-Paul Lemieux canvas, Country Club, fetched $1,095,000, including buyer’s premium, easily besting its $400,000-$600,000 estimate.
Sotheby’s recently reported its most profitable quarter in the company’s 267-year history and continues to break record sales. Its New York art handlers, however, have been locked-out since late July after the company threatened to eliminate half the work force and implement less qualified temps.
The protests held outside Sotheby’s auction in Toronto is part of an international movement to help save the art handlers’ jobs. Earlier in October, protests were held at Sotheby’s in London which also included support from Parliament which even filed an Early Day Motion in favor of the art handlers.