The California Academy of Sciences announced the layoffs of 53 employees last week, and many of them are union members who are still showing up for work.
Scott Sampson, the executive director of the California Academy of Sciences, announced the museum’s third round of layoffs in five years last Tuesday, as the Chronicle first reported. Sampson said 53 employees, about 9.3% of its staff, would receive layoff notices, citing a $7.3 million deficit from 2025 and projected losses of more than $8 million this year.
In a statement, Sampson said the museum also plans to cut or restructure dozens of additional positions, with around 32 employees being offered new roles or reduced hours. He attributed the academy’s financial struggles to high operating costs, declining tourism since the pandemic, and changing visitor habits, as well as the expense of maintaining 60,000 live animals and scientific collections containing nearly 46 million specimens…