London’s National Gallery faces wave of strikes

A fresh wave of strikes is to be launched by staff at a leading art gallery in a row over privatisation of services.

The National Gallery, London Image by PA

Members of the Public and Commercial Services union at the National Gallery in London will walk out this weekend and from Tuesday March 24 to Saturday March 28, following two periods of industrial action last month.

The union has submitted proposals it believes would avoid a sell-off of the gallery’s visitor services but said the management was pressing ahead with its plans to outsource work. PCS officials said no other major museum or gallery has privatised all of its visitor staff. The dispute was inflamed when one of the union’s senior reps, who was involved in talks, was suspended.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “Our plans would resolve the issues at the heart of this dispute so it very disappointing that the National Gallery appears unwilling to discuss them. This privatisation is completely unnecessary and risks undermining the gallery’s well-earned reputation as one of our country’s greatest cultural assets.”

(Press Association)