Alistair Hardaker
Image: British Library, London (CC BY-SA 2.0 Christine Matthews)
Union members are set to walk out later this month in a dispute over pay
Over 300 workers at the British Library in London are set to strike later this month.
Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) members who work at the British Library will walk out from 27 October to 9 November.
They voted 98.23% in favour of industrial action on a turnout of 75.17%.
The union says the key demand is for an inflation-proof pay rise with restoration, after a second consecutive year of a “real-terms pay cut”. In a recent survey of British Library members, PCS said it found most struggle each month to make ends meet.
It said the British Library initially proposed a pay award of 2%, with some receiving 1.6%; they have since increased the offer to 2.4%.
The union said the employer has reneged on plans to offer £5,000 in annual bonuses to directors, after PCS went public about a proposed restructure which would have seen the director team double.
A British Library spokesperson told Advisor that a restructure of senior management is underway and details remain confidential. It said that the unions’ claim about the £5,000 bonus for senior leaders is not the case.
A British Library spokesperson said it has made a formal pay offer of 3% for the year 2025/26, “which is weighted to enhance benefits for our lower pay bands – all staff would receive a minimum of a consolidated increase of 2.4% or £800 (whichever is the higher).
“The Library has also reaffirmed its commitment to being a Living Wage Foundation Employer, under which our lower paid employees are likely to receive a substantially higher percentage increase.”
The strike dates will coincide with the two-year anniversary of a cyber-attack where staff members’ personal data was leaked on to the dark web, as well as the opening of a major new exhibition, ‘Secret Maps’.
PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said: “A near unanimous vote for strike action is just a small glimpse into the strength of feeling among our members at the British Library.
“They are livid at yet another insulting pay offer that does little to alleviate the health problems that many suffer from because of low pay.”
