The dispute between members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union and the National Gallery, London has escalated with around 200 gallery staff taking indefinite strike action.
The protests began in July last year when plans to privatise visitor and security services at the gallery were first announced. Since then, staff have taken 56 days’ action including a ten-day strike in May following the sacking of union representative Candy Udwin.
The action is being escalated to coincide with the gallery’s announcement of the appointment of private security firm Securitas to manage the visitor-facing services on a five-year contract reportedly worth £40m. The announcement comes ahead of the gallery’s new director Gabriele Finaldi taking up his post on 17 August.
PCS says the move, which will affect around 300 members of staff, will undermine the gallery’s reputation. Speaking to Sky News, general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “We had asked the new director to step in to resolve this dispute before taking over but now his first week will be greeted by a continuous strike. We remain ready to negotiate.
“We do not believe this privatisation is in any way necessary and we fear for the reputation the gallery rightly enjoys around the world as one of our country’s greatest cultural assets.”
The union maintains that it has attempted to negotiate but that the gallery refuses to do so. Speaking to BBC London 94.9, PCS director of campaigns and communications Nick McCarthy said:”[the National Gallery] seems hell bent on outsourcing this contract. Today’s strike is indefinite until such time as we are able to reach a solution with the gallery.”
Greater flexibility
Announcing what it describes as a ‘partnership’ with Securitas, the National Gallery described the move as part of its commitment to modernisation that will enable the gallery to operate with greater flexibility, and provide a better service to its more than six million annual visitors.
The gallery also stated that no members of staff would be made redundant, that all affected staff would continue to be paid the London Living Wage and would have the ‘option’ to move to Securitas with the same terms and conditions as their current contract.
Outgoing director Sir Nicholas Penny said: “The gallery needs an experienced and competent partner to support it now and in the future and we believe that Securitas is the best possible partner for us. This is the right decision for all our staff and for the future of our gallery.”
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