National Museums Liverpool workers continue their strike action following dispute over a £1,500 payment not been paid.
The strikes began on February 17 and will continue until April 14 unless the issue has been resolved.
Several local MPs and councillors have joined the picket line in support.
MP Kim Johnson, Labour MP for Riverside, Liverpool joined the picket line on January 25.
Thank you to @KimJohnsonMP for standing with us on the picket lines @MuseumLiverpool as we demand @NML_Muse pay their staff the transformative £1500 cost-of-living payment that they've already won. We know the city is behind us. #NMLPayUp pic.twitter.com/7ajaeyNgtT
— PCS Liverpool Museums (@PCSLiverpoolMus) February 25, 2024
She has been working closely with the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) to try and get the workers the payment they are promised.
Last year thousands of PCS members went on strike, which resulted in the agreement of a one-off payment to assist workers through inflation rises and the cost-of-living crisis.
NML are the only employees to not make this payment.
Gateacre councillor Kris Brown was also in attendance on February 27.
Our newly elected Branch Chair, Cas, was really proud to welcome Councillor Kris Brown to another of our vibrant picket lines outside @MuseumLiverpool. The support keeps flooding in. It's time @NML_Muse did the right thing. Value your workers. #NMLPayUp pic.twitter.com/6nGjH9BEYi
— PCS Liverpool Museums (@PCSLiverpoolMus) February 27, 2024
Dan Carden, Labour MP for Walton, said: “I fully support PCS members taking strike action.
“It’s unacceptable that workers at National Museums Liverpool have been denied a cost-of-living payment they need and deserve.
“There workers keep Liverpool’s world-class museums running. Their action shows the spirit of solidarity for which our city is renowned. I urge the employer to do the right thing and pay them what they are owed.”
However Laura Pye, director of National Museums Liverpool, 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.
“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.”
Featured image (c) Amy Coulson
