Why aren't museums reopening? We discuss this with civil service unions

Why aren ’t museums reopening? What is the point of keeping cultural venues closed for so long, given that museums were closed in early November and, beyond a few spotty openings between January and February (for no more than two weeks on average), have never reopened? What are the interests at stake? Does keeping museums open really involve major public health problems? Have public museum workers pushed seriously for them to reopen? How has the transportation problem been addressed?

We spoke with four of the leading civil service unions in the cultural heritage about these issues to get their views on all these very important and now irremissible questions.The stubbornness with which the government continues to keep museums closed needs in-depth debates. In the coming days we will publish responses from Claudio Meloni (CGIL National Coordinator Public Function Cultural Heritage), Federico Trastulli (UIL National Coordinator Public Administration Ministry of Culture), Giuseppe Nolè and Valentina Di Stefano (CISL Public Function Ministry of Culture) and Giuseppe Zicarelli (Confintesa Coordinator Public Function Cultural Heritage). UNSA Beni Culturali and USB Beni Culturali unions did not respond to our questions.

Some anticipations: the CGIL let it be known that for museums there are no problems from the security point of view and that the decisions taken by the government regarding the closure of cultural places have a more general context of reference, and the same union hopes for the reopening of cultural places soon, trusting that the vaccination campaign can allow them. Also according to the UIL, cultural enjoyment can be allowed in absolute safety, and since we have emerged from the emergency we are also in a position to make decisions with greater clarity, avoiding discrimination between sites. Also according to the UIL, the decision to close all museums (without distinction between large and small or between museums with a tourist vocation and museums more related to the habits of citizens) was weighed by the unified approach without taking into account factors that would have allowed a partial reopening. Instead, the ICFTU let us know that it is putting in place attempts to work on welfare for cultural workers, in consultation with the ministry, although it is not easy because resources were very tight even before the pandemic. According to Confintesa, there was a big difference between public workers in superintendencies and museums, with the former demanding and still demanding a greater presence in their workplaces, while the latter would mostly push for not reopening. In addition, again according to the same union, at least for small museums a decision could have been made for more openings.

We will publish all the responses in the coming days.

Why aren't museums reopening? We discuss this with civil service unions

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