PCS calls on Vaughan Gething to protect Welsh culture jobs and services

Museum Wales has had a £3 million reduction in its grant, but says that because it continues to incur a year-on-year deficit of £1.5m it had to address a total deficit of £4.5m by the end of March.

PCS General Secretary Fran Heathcote said: “It is deeply disappointing that the new first minister has refused point blank to provide any additional resources to address the funding crisis in the Welsh culture sector, even when the chief executive of Amgueddfa Cymru has laid out so starkly the potential consequences of inaction by the Welsh Government.

“PCS will continue to campaign to defend the jobs and conditions of our members in the sector, as well as the services they provide. Our concerns are widely shared by people across Wales, as demonstrated by the fact that a petition calling for the cuts to be reversed is close to reaching the 10,000 signatures needed to qualify for a Senedd debate.

“The Senedd itself carried a motion on 20 March that expressed concern about the cuts and called on the Welsh Government to commission a panel of experts to establish the level of danger to Wales’ national collections, implement a plan to protect them, and to work with Wales’ cultural institutions and the unions representing their staff, to ensure their viability for the future.

“We call on Vaughan Gething to reconsider his position and take the action necessary to protect jobs and services in the culture sector.”

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