200 Merseyside museum workers start eight-week strike tomorrow

More than 200 Merseyside museum workers tomorrow (Saturday, February 17) begin eight weeks’ strike action after bosses at National Museums Liverpool (NML) refused to pay them a cost-of-living crisis payment.

An offer this morning by the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union to receive the £1,500 in two instalments was turned down by museum bosses, ending hopes the dispute could have resolved before strike action started.

Last year more than 130,000 Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union members – including those working at NML – took strike action over pay, which resulted in a rise of at least 4.5% and the promise of a one-off £1,500 cost-of-living crisis payment.

The NML is the only one of more than 200 employers not to have honoured the £1,500 payment.

PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said: “PCS has tried our hardest to resolve this dispute, but we have been met with a straight ‘No’ from the employer.

“Our fight is not with those people who visit the museums – it’s with those who undervalue our members’ passion, skill and knowledge at work.

“It’s time for NML to pay up and recognise the contribution our members make to the economic and cultural well-being of Liverpool.”

The strike action will run from tomorrow to April 14 and

is likely to affect four museums (the Museum of Liverpool, the World Museum, the International Slavery Museum and the Maritime Museum), as well as the Walker Art Gallery, Sudley House and the Lady Lever Art Gallery.

PCS members last year successfully used planned strike action at the Care Quality Commission, Mayor’s Office for Police and Crime, Welsh National Library and Museums and British Museum to secure the £1.5k bonus from similarly reluctant employers.

ends