Council leader and former steps down citing conflict of interest
The first patron of the National Coal Mining Museum for England has resigned from the role, citing a conflict of interest as staff continue their strike.
In a council meeting on Friday 26 November, Wakefield Council Leader Denise Jeffery, formerly chair of the museum, announced she had stepped down.
“As some of you know, I was chair of the mining museum for 11 years and I had to step down earlier this year,” said Jeffery.
“They asked me to be a patron, and I was quite proud of it because it was the first patron they’d had, and it helped me to stay linked to the mines.
“But I’ve tendered my resignation because of a […] conflict of interest. I’ve resigned from the museum, which has made me sad, but I feel it was the right thing to do.
“Unfortunately I’ve come to the conclusion that they do not want to settle the strike,” Jeffery said.
“I did write to the trustees and the chair, and I’ve also had a meeting with them”.
Guides for the museum’s underground tours who are members of union UNISON began a strike on 20 August, and have since extended three times. The strike is now scheduled to run until the end January 2026 if a resolution is not found.
In November, UNISON claimed that it would cost only around £10,000 to give a pay rise to staff and that the museum “can easily afford this”. The museum said it has offered a pay settlement that aligns with union demands.
A petition has since been launched calling for the resignation of the museum’s chief executive and trustees, and a demonstration is scheduled to take place outside Wakefield Cathedral on Saturday, 6 December.
Jeffery continued: “I’ve had a number of emails from people across the country, who feel that they can’t visit because of the strike, and don’t want to cross the picket line.”
In a statement last month, the museum said it is “committed to fair and ethical pay”.
“As a Living Wage employer all staff are paid above the Minimum Wage. Despite the challenging economic environment nationally, the Trustees have previously approved an above inflation pay increase of 5% for all employees this year, following an above inflation increase last year.
“This equates to a 14% rise over two years for many staff, including Museum Guides.”
