Museum staff gear up for strike

Staff at the Science Museum voted with colleagues in York and Bradford

Union members at four museums have voted to go on strike as a protest over the imposition of a two-year below-inflation pay deal.

Staff at the National Railway Museum in York and the National Media Museum in Bradford backed the strikes by a majority of two-to-one in a vote.

Workers at the Science Museums in London and Swindon also rejected the pay offer.

The Public and Commercial Services Union said staff were "furious".

The union said the museum staff were "furious" that a below inflation pay rise of 3% had been imposed for each of the next two years.

'Low-pay culture'

Union official Ragesh Khakhria said: "Members have clearly shown their anger and frustration at the museums' decision to impose what amounts to a two-year cut in their pay.

"The ballot results give management an opportunity to reopen meaningful negotiations and avoid a dispute."

General secretary Mark Serwotka added: "From museums and jobcentres to immigration and coastguards, the government's below-inflation pay policy is ever present in driving down wages and embedding a culture of low pay across civil and public services."

"Real-term pay cuts for dedicated, hardworking staff are a disgrace and it is time that management started valuing their workforce and for the government to review its unjust pay policy."

A Department for Culture, Media and Sport spokesman said: "We were pleased to award the Science Museum an inflation-proof settlement in the last spending round in recognition of the great work they are doing.

"In the end, though, it is for the museum itself to decide its priorities for how this grant is spent."