TORONTO - The union representing some Art Gallery of Ontario employees is demanding information about plans that could result in more than 100 job losses, but a spokeswoman for the museum said Thursday that no decisions about cutbacks have been finalized.

The Ontario Public Service Employees Union said staff were notified a couple of weeks ago about the potential layoffs, with management saying they were due to "restructuring" and "organizational changes."

Union spokeswoman Paula Whitmore said the cutbacks would threaten programs and activities at the Toronto gallery, and she wants to discuss with management whether the layoffs are really necessary and if there are any reasonable alternatives.

Budget cuts are being discussed as part of a responsible consideration of how the ailing economy might affect the gallery, said AGO spokeswoman Susan Bloch-Nevitte, who also criticized the union for alarming workers before any decisions have been made.

"Despite the fact we've had very good visitorship at the AGO, the economy that we all are reading about, living in and breathing is having an impact on us, as it is in other sectors," she said.

"We're anticipating if the environment doesn't improve, we're going to need to readjust our operations to run the AGO we can afford."

She said the gallery's management plans to discuss with the union some possible alternatives to layoffs, including job sharing.

The museum may also reduce its visiting hours to keep costs down, she added.

As many as 61 full-time employees could be laid off, in addition to another 47 workers.

Both groups of workers were temporary employees who never expected their jobs to last indefinitely, Bloch-Nevitte added.

"We want staff, we need staff -- the AGO depends on people -- so I think the thing we're struggling with at this point is our disappointment that the union chose to go public with, I will say, an inflated number of potential layoffs."

OPSEU workers at the museum include staff who run education programs and care for collections, exhibitions and the building itself.

A revamped design of the gallery by world-renowned architect and Toronto native Frank Gehry opened to the public in November.

The makeover of the 108-year-old facility cost about $276 million.