WORKERS STRIKE AT LONDONS NATIONAL

GALLERY, SHUTTERING PARTS OF THE

MUSEUM
BY Vida Weisblum POSTED 08/11/15 1:57 PM
8 10 0 27

Picket lines have appeared today outside of the National Gallery in Londons Trafalgar
Square as part of an indefinite strike by about 200 members of the museums Public
and Commercial Services union,the Associated Press reports. The museum has closed
some of its rooms because of the labor shortage.
The latest action follows 56 days of strikes this year, which are aimed at scuttling a
plan to privatize visitor and security service at the museum.
Although the museum has said that no jobs would be lost in this attempt to make
operations more flexible and deliver an enhanced service, some 400 workers are
expected to have their job privatized.
In a conversation with BBC Radio, union director Nick McCarthy said, Millions of tourists
wont be able to get access to the vast majority of works of art in the gallery, and
thats enormously regrettable, but the blame for this lies with the gallery. We have
sought to negotiate, but the gallery refuses to engage on this and seems hell bent on
outsourcing this contract.
The deputy director of the National Gallery told the BBC that the PCS was unable to
suggest an alternative that would be effective or affordable. We need more flexibility
to offer better service to our visitors, she said. We have nearly 6.5 million visitors a
year and we want to offer more access, better access and events and activities to as
many people as possible.
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Indefinite strike brought forward at

National Gallery in London
Stoppage will begin on 11 August, almost a week earlier than planned, amid
dispute over privatisation of services
Last month the gallery announced a contract, worth 40m over five years, with Securitas to
handle some visitor relationship and security services.

17.22 BST00.50 BST

An indefinite strike by staff at Londons National Gallery over the privatisation of its
services has been brought forward by almost a week.
Members of the Public and Commercial Services union at the gallery will now begin an
indefinite stoppage from 11 August, almost a week earlier than planned.
The gallery, which has appointed Securitas to manage some visitor relationship and
security services, said it was one of the last major national museums and galleries to
appoint an external partner in these areas.
The unions leader, Mark Serwotka, said: It is extremely disappointing that while PCS
continues to try to reach a negotiated settlement, gallery management has pressed on
with privatisation without any further engagement with the union.
The gallery, which attracts more than 6 million visitors a year, is mired in a long-

running dispute over privatisation. The Securitas contract, worth 40m over five years,
was announced last month.
The gallery said no staff members would be made redundant and all affected staff
would continue to be paid the London living wage.
Around 300 gallery assistants who guard paintings and answer visitors questions will
be affected. They will no longer be employed by the National Gallery and instead work
for Securitas.