Museum workers in Liverpool strike in pay dispute

Liverpool slavery museum likely to be affected by the strike action Credit: ITV Granada

Museum and art gallery staff are starting an eight-week strike in a dispute over pay.

More than 200 members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) at National Museums Liverpool (NML) will take industrial action which begins on Saturday.

The union says the strike is likely to affect four of the city's museums; the Museum of Liverpool, the World Museum, the International Slavery Museum and the Maritime Museum.

Gallery staff at the Walker Art Gallery, Sudley House and the Lady Lever Art Gallery are also part of the industrial action.

The Walker Art Gallery is part of National Museums Liverpool

The NML is the only one of more than 200 employers not to have honoured a £1,500 payment which helped resolve a national dispute last year.

PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said: “PCS has tried our hardest to resolve this dispute, but we have been met with a straight ‘No’ from the employer.

The World Museum could be affected by the dispute Credit: pa

“Our fight is not with those people who visit the museums – it’s with those who undervalue our members’ passion, skill and knowledge at work.

“It’s time for NML to pay up and recognise the contribution our members make to the economic and cultural wellbeing of Liverpool.”