Alistair Hardaker
Image: National Coal Mining Museum (National Coal Mining Museum)
Over 40 workers including mine guides and cleaners set to strike for four weeks in dispute over pay rises at Wakefield museum.
Strike action at the National Coal Mining Museum in Wakefield is due to begin next week, as union UNISON urges senior managers to agree an ew pay offer.
More than 40 workers, including the museum’s mine guides, horse keepers and cleaners, are due to walk out a week today (Wednesday 20 August) for four weeks in a wage dispute. The union warns there will be further action if no solution is reached.
Last month a ballot saw 73.9% of union staff back strike action and 94.9% backed action short of a strike.
UNISON said museum management had agreed to recommend a pay rise to the board of trustees, meaning it would be put to staff as an offer if approved. But instead, the museum reverted to a previous offer staff had already rejected.
In March, the National Coal Mining Museum put forward a 5% pay offer for all staff, which was rejected. A second offer was made in June via Acas talks of a £1 per hour uplift for mine guides and 5% for everyone else.
UNISON said this had the potential effect of giving a greater pay rise to men (who make up the team of mine guides) than women employed elsewhere at the museum.
Following last week’s announcement of strike action, museum managers have requested further talks with UNISON through the arbitration service Acas.
The union says talks could prevent the strikes if the chief executive and other senior managers put forward an improved pay offer, otherwise workers will have no choice but to go ahead with the strike.
UNISON Yorkshire and Humberside regional organiser Rianne Hooley said: “These workers and their storytelling bring the National Coal Mining Museum to life for thousands of visitors.
“If managers want this important service showcasing the region’s heritage to continue, they must put an acceptable pay offer on the table.”
Last week a museum spokesperson said: “As a Charity our Trustees feel this current offer is fair and the counter claim by Unison, which equates to over 8%, for many, as simply unaffordable. It would jeopardise people’s jobs across the organisation and threaten the long-term sustainability of the museum.
“This counter claim was suggested as part of the negotiation process and was at no point agreed. The only confirmed offer by the Museum was for 5% to all staff, which is still an offer the museum would be happy to agree to.”
