National Museum Wales staff 'step up' industrial action

Some National Museum Wales (NMW) staff are to step up a programme of strikes by taking indefinite action in a row over the removal of weekend payments.

Members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) said it will take open-ended strike action at all National Museum sites from Thursday.

The dispute began more than two years ago with action taking place at weekends.

NMW said there was no more money available to improve the offer.

It has started individual discussions with staff affected by proposals to scrap "premium payments".

As part of a deal, staff are being offered a lump sum equivalent to two years' worth of premium payments to end extra payments for working weekends and bank holidays.

About 300 of the museum's staff receive the payments and 220 are PCS members.

PCS Wales Secretary Shavanah Taj said: "This is a big step, which we've not taken lightly."

NMW said: "We are extremely disappointed that the PCS have broken the agreement they signed up to at Acas, by not balloting their members on our offer and by undertaking strike action.

"We would like to reassure our visitors that we will do all that we can to keep our museums open and services running for them.

"This announcement of continuous strike action by PCS has come within days of us offering to meet with all of our recognised trade unions to discuss the number of weekends worked by our staff.

"However, our financial position remains the same. We and the Welsh Government have both confirmed to PCS that there is no more money available to improve the offer."

The museum urged PCS to accept the offer and bring the dispute to an end.​