The organisation said it has concerns about how the cost-of-living payment will affect its reserves
National Museums Liverpool has said it still has concerns about the impact of the one-off payment now due to be made to staff following a deal with the PCS Union.
PCS Union members recently ended a more than 60 day strike across NML’s museums and galleries after it agreed to a one-off payment to staff.
During the strikes, the organisation had stated that the £750,000 total cost of a £1,500 cost-of-living payment would take it below its legal minimum reserve levels.
On its website, in an FAQ section about the strikes, it said that “making a one-off payment of £1,500 to all NML colleagues, on top of the pay awards already given, would cost us an extra £750,000.
“This would take us below our legal minimum reserve levels, making it unaffordable, and would mean putting the brakes on our agreed approach to improving pay and conditions across the organisation.”
Last week it was announced that the union has struck a deal for a smaller £1,200 one-off cost of living payment to staff. The deal also included two extra days’ holiday a year and a 35% discount in museum cafes.
Asked about the financial impact of the reduced deal, a National Museums Liverpool spokesperson told Advisor that the £1,200 payment will be split over two financial years, but it is “still concerned about going below the minimum reserve level in 24/25 and 25/26, and are speaking to DCMS about concerns.”
On its website, NML said that it was told by DCMS in February it would not provide funding to cover the cost-of-living payment, which had been made to civil servants at other organisations.
Last week PCS General Secretary Fran Heathcote said its members had “stood firm through many months of strike action and have now been rewarded with a significant sum and extra benefits.”
