Gallery assistants at Dulwich Picture Gallery are taking a stand after a raft of cuts at the organisation were announced.
Launching an online petition, employees at the space in south London – which was founded in 1811 and is the world’s first purpose-built public art gallery – claim the gallery intends to make over half of the current visitor services team redundant as part of a new cost-cutting scheme.
They claim up to 19 members of the current front-of-house staff face redundancy, with those retaining their jobs being asked to sign new annualised hours contracts. The employees also claim this will force them to work any hours stipulated by management without over-time rates.
The group, who are members of the Unite union, said: “We believe the proposed redundancies are unjustified and unfair, and that they will ultimately jeopardise and damage the relationship we have developed with our customers throughout the years. We are united in our intention to fight the proposed cuts and ask for your support and solidarity.”
The staff also suggest that apprentices and casual staff will be introduced in favour of existing employees. They claim that some of these new recruits will be on lower wages, will be obliged to take shifts on demand and will not be entitled to the same employment benefits as their colleagues on the new annualised hours contracts.
Dulwich Picture Gallery have responded via Twitter saying: “We have announced a consultation process with our visitor services team. 1st mtg will be held later this week. We are not able to comment any further ahead of this.”
