Strike could close National Museums Liverpool venues for up to eight weeks

Staff at National Museums Liverpool (NML) have begun a strike that could see many of the city’s museums and galleries closed for up to eight weeks.

Members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union are taking industrial action over the institution’s refusal to pay a cost-of-living payment secured for the civil service following a national campaign by PCS.

But a statement from NML said: "A central component to this strike action is about a non-consolidated (one-off) cost of living payment of £1,500, that the Cabinet Office agreed should be paid to all civil servants last year. Although some colleagues believed that this would apply to NML, we are not part of the Civil Service pay remit, which means this payment does not apply to people in our organisation as we are not civil servants. Of the 15 national museum services, we are one of 10 that have not been able to pay the £1,500 on top of the pay awards agreed. NML, like some of the other national museums, chose to prioritise consolidated payments."

The industrial action affects NML's seven sites, including the Museum of Liverpool, the World Museum, the International Slavery Museum and the Maritime Museum, the Walker Art Gallery, Sudley House and the Lady Lever Art Gallery.

A walkout of PCS members forced some NML venues to close on 17 and 18 February, although the Museum of Liverpool was open on both days. All venues were closed on 19 February as the service does not open to the public on Mondays.

On 20-21 February, all venues were closed apart from the cafes at the Museum of Liverpool and Sudley House. On 22-23 February, the Museum of Liverpool and the Lady Lever Art Gallery will be open as will Sudley House's cafe. On 24-25 February, the Museum of Liverpool will be open as will the cafe and shop at the Lady Lever Art Gallery and Sudley House's cafe.

If a resolution is not found, the strike could continue until 14 April, making it the longest-running industrial action in PCS's history.

"We've never been on strike for this long before," said Matt Exley, participation producer and PCS branch officer.

He told Museums Journal that workers had decided "enough was enough" after eight months of negotiations over the payment.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) gave arm's length-bodies, including NML, the green light to offer their staff the payment last July.

However NML says the one-off payment is unaffordable and it has already committed to fair renumeration through consolidated salary rises that prioritise the lowest-paid staff.

"We've been knocked back again and again," said Exley. He said that although NML now pays the Real Living Wage, this only covers the bare minimum in the cost-of-living crisis, with some of the institution's lowest-paid staff living below the poverty line and struggling to afford food.

"That's how bad it is for staff, and when it's that desperate you need desperate measures," said Exley. "We love the museums - we don't want them to close."

Matt said there had been an outpouring of support from the city for the museum workers. "Liverpool is a city that understands a strike," he said. "There has been so much solidarity coming from the city."

The museum workers have brought creativity to the picket line, organising a programme of activities that includes animation workshops, crafting, discos and characters in historical costume.

"When museum people come together, good things happen," he said. "We're struggling together but it's very comradely.

"We hope DCMS put their hands into their pockets, and if not, we hope NML put their hands into their pockets and prioritise their staff."

In a statement, Laura Pye, the director of NML said: “It is deeply regrettable that we’ve not been able to prevent this situation.

"A lot has been said, and continues to be said, about the reason the PCS union has chosen to take this action and, whilst we have communicated that we don’t agree with some of it, we want to be in open discussion with our striking colleagues to find a solution, so that we can welcome them back and reopen all our sites as soon as we can.”

Pye said that while the institution receives a grant from DCMS, it is not fully funded by the government and relies on targeted fundraising and commercial activity.

“We greatly value our dedicated staff, and we understand the importance of fair remuneration for the hard work and loyalty they give to the organisation," she said. "This is why we committed to work with our recognised unions over the last four years, to improve our pay and conditions for all colleagues [...]

“During the last four years, we have increased our staff salaries by an average of 14% while we have also been impacted by some of the highest inflation we have seen in years, hugely increased energy bills, and our visitor figures are still 10% lower than pre-pandemic levels. In this same period, we’ve seen our grant from DCMS increase by 4%.” 

Pye said that over the past four years, the institution’s average pay increase has been higher than the average pay increase in the civil service. She added: “We’ve never planned a one off non-consolidated payment, and all the funding we had available was put into consolidated rises, prioritising our lowest paid colleagues.

“Ultimately, making a one-off payment of £1,500 on top of what we’ve implemented and committed is simply unaffordable to us as an organisation, and would threaten the long-term sustainability of your museums and galleries.”

Pye said: “We remain optimistic that things might change, and whilst we’re in this difficult dilemma, and our position leaving us with no straightforward way ahead, the board and I are fully committed to continuing to have open and honest dialogue to end strike action if possible, and as soon as possible.”