Two hour staff strike hits the National Gallery - pay row forces galleries closure

Published: 19 February 2010
by JAMIE WELHAM

STAFF at the National Gallery walked out on strike on Tuesday in a row over pay.

A number of galleries were closed to the public during the two-hour strike by members of the Public and Commercial Services Union.

The union said some workers’ pay fell 60p short of London’s “living wage” of £7.60 an hour.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “Staff who protect important artworks and assist the public are sick and tired of working 50- to 60-hour weeks and having to take second jobs to earn a living wage. The refusal by management to reopen talks and its imposition of the pay award, just days before Christmas has left staff feeling angry and betrayed.”

A National Gallery spokeswoman said: “The gallery will do all it can to keep disruption to the public to a minimum during the industrial action.”