Welsh Government intervenes in National Museum Wales talks

PCS general secretary, Mark Serwotka, addressed members at a previous rally outside the National Museum in Cardiff

The Welsh Government has held talks to resolve a long-running pay dispute at National Museum Wales (NMW).

BBC Wales understands that cabinet minister Ken Skates has met representatives of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) and the museum, which has seven centres.

Members of PCS have been taking indefinite action in a row over the removal of weekend payments.

First Minister Carwyn Jones had pledged to help end the dispute.

The parties are yet to come to a resolution, and a series of open-ended strikes at the organisation's museums, which are largely funded by Welsh Government, began in April.

The first minister told the Senedd on Tuesday that the Welsh Government expects to see a settlement "hopefully very, very soon".

He said Mr Skates, who is cabinet secretary for economy and infrastructure, had been dealing with the issue.

A Welsh Government spokeswoman confirmed the minister had met the PCS and the museum, and a spokeswoman for NMW said: "We are doing everything we can to try and reach an agreement and bring the dispute to a conclusion.

"We can confirm that we are in discussions with the Welsh Government and PCS, however all parties have agreed to keep the detail of those meetings confidential at present."

Darren Williams of PCS said: "Welsh Government has been helpful. We do not have an outcome yet."

It is unclear at the moment if there is any offer of money from Welsh Government to help resolve the dispute.

'Lump sum'

NMW previously said there was no more money to improve its offer to staff and urged the union to accept it.

The organisation had started individual discussions with staff affected by proposals to scrap "premium payments".

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

The museum has sites in Cardiff, Swansea, Newport, Blaenavon in Torfaen, Llanberis in Gwynedd, and Llandysul in Ceredigion.