Industrial relations

Museums across Liverpool are expected to stay closed after the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) rejected a pay offer from National Museums Liverpool (NML).

In a post, Laura Pye, Director of National Museums Liverpool, said that "with a heavy heart", NML's five venues will remain mostly closed until at least 14 April, when the current strike period is due to end.

More than 200 NML staff began a two-month strike on 17 February in a dispute over a cost-of-living payment after 94% of employees balloted by PCS backed a walkout.

The union says NML is the only government employer not to pay its staff an agreed-upon £1,500 cost-of-living payment. The government introduced the retrospective payment for civil servants as part of a pay deal for 2022-2023 following a campaign by PCS to help its members cope with soaring inflation.

However, in her post, Pye said, “NML has never promised this payment. In fact, we were very clear when the government announced that unless an additional grant in aid payment was given to us to cover this, we would be unable to pay it.

“National government has also been very clear that the payment was promised to civil servants, and because NML colleagues are not civil servants, they were not in scope.”

She also claimed that of the 15 National Museums services, NML is one of 10 that has not been able to pay the £1,500 in addition to the additional pay awards agreed upon.

The latest offer made to PCS Union members on 20 March included a £750 one-off non-consolidated payment, an increase in annual leave to 30 days plus Bank Holidays, a commitment to shut down the venues every Christmas Eve, and the provision of complimentary tea, coffee, and milk in staff rooms.

Internationally renowned speakers have withdrawn from engagements at the Royal Society of the Arts (RSA) after members of the Independent Workers of Great Britain (IWGB) called for a boycott of the institution in a dispute over pay and concerns about leadership.

Staff at the RSA, who went on strike in December, are calling on fellows, guest speakers, academics and the public not to attend or speak at events organised by or at the RSA. They are also asking members to withhold nominations for new fellows and for academics to abstain from participating in research projects with the RSA.

Economist Yanis Varoufakis cancelled an event at RSA on 15 February in response to the campaign. He wrote on X: “It's our hope that this boycott will help the [RSA union] to ensure that the RSA, with its historically progressive aims, offers fair pay and conditions for all staff.”

Wildlife TV presenter and conservationist Chris Packham and comedian and writer Deborah Frances-White also withdrew from engagements at the RSA.

Employees have been in talks with RSA management for six months about a pay claim submitted in January 2023. Staff want a flat £2,800 salary increase for all employees, an increase from 5.5% to 8% for pension contributions and a £400 allowance for staff who don’t benefit from hybrid working.

The union has also accused the organisation of "curtailing free speech and debate through censorship and anti-democratic decisions" and is calling for an independent review of "the suitability of the leadership of the RSA". 

An RSA spokesperson said they were disappointed by the boycott and added that the body has worked with the IWGB to find “constructive resolutions,” offering a £1,000 salary increase, which the union has rejected.

In October 2023, an employment tribunal found the RSA had unfairly dismissed an employee who spoke to the press about the organisation's refusal to recognise the staff trade union. The IWGB said the victory "has only strengthened our members’ resolve to win the ongoing pay dispute and has given them confidence and energy to transform the RSA into an organisation that respects and values their work.”

Musicians from London Chamber Orchestra (LCO) walked out of a rehearsal on 7 February ahead of a performance in protest over unpaid wages.

Around half the players, who are all freelance, took action after voicing objections to five months of overdue payments, according to a report in The Observer. A subsequent performance by LCO at Cadogan Hall went ahead after other musicians were brought in to cover.

Jocelyn Lightfoot, the ensemble's Managing Director, said the issue arose after Barclays Bank froze LCO's account “with no prior warning". The action was part of Barclays' anti-crime measures.

Lightfoot said: “We kept the musicians informed during this period that their payment would go out as soon as the account was reopened, but as the timeline of the reopening was further delayed many times, it was difficult to provide musicians with a clear timeframe.

"We understand the monumental strain on this body of freelancers whose opportunities to work have been reduced and jeopardised due to sweeping cuts to orchestral funding.”

She confirmed that the payments have since been made.

A Barclays Bank spokesperson said: “We take the protection of our customers’ funds and data extremely seriously.

“As part of our ongoing responsibility to help prevent financial crime and to meet our regulatory responsibilities, we are required to ensure we hold up-to-date information regarding our customers’ accounts. Customers are also required to inform the bank in a timely manner of any change to their legal status relating to their business, charity or trust.”

Barclay’s anti-crime measures are understood to have affected other organisations, including the classical music venue, St John’s Smith Square, Surrey-based Clockwork Charitable Trust and the Ogmore Valley Male Voice Choir.

An employment tribunal has ruled 17 members of a former ensemble, which became insolvent suddenly last year, are entitled to a share of £30,350 compensation.

The Nevis Ensemble, which had a total of 19 fellows who regularly performed in care homes, prisons, schools and recovery groups, announced sudden insolvency in January 2023.

The charity, which launched in 2018 and gave almost 700 performances, said it was facing “severe funding challenges” and was “unable to deliver their activities” at the time of the closure.

It left the musicians they supported without a promised annual bursary of £11,000, paid in monthly £1,000 instalments.

The compensation awarded in the employment tribunal is for unauthorised deduction of wages, breach of contract and unpaid holidays.

Sam Dunkley, Musicians’ Union Acting Regional Organiser for Scotland and Northern Ireland said: “We are pleased that the Employment Tribunal Judgment has found in favour of the Nevis fellows and awarded compensation for losses suffered and for a protective award for the lack of information and consultation. 

“These musicians were dismissed with no notice or consultation process, leaving them in real financial peril and without the security they should have had.

“We hope that those engaging musicians take time to consider the impact of this finding and recognise employed musicians properly in their workforce, as well as following appropriate redundancy and consultation procedures when necessary.”

Gala Theatre in Durham has agreed to introduce improved terms and conditions for performers, bringing the venue in line with standards set by performers' union Equity. 

The move follows discussions between the union and Durham County Council, which manages the theatre.

The improved terms, which apply to non-permanent performers and stage management engaged under ‘worker’ status, include recognising overtime and making payment where appropriate, a limit on the number of performances, and a commitment to a standard five day working week.

Dominic Bascombe, Equity Regional Official for North East, Yorkshire and Humberside said: “The introduction of these terms in the contract will provide our members with a great level of comfort that working at Durham Gala Theatre meets acceptable standards. 

"We are pleased that Durham County Council have engaged in this process and have already seen the benefits of the terms being applauded by our members working there over the panto season."

A spokesperson for Durham County Council said: “Durham County Council are supportive of the work of Equity and continue to work in partnership to provide good working practices for those engaged in our performances.”

Earlier this week County Durham received a £1.25m Place Partnership award from Arts Council England, funded by the National Lottery, for a three-year programme of events, skills development and community-led activities.

The grant supplements the £2m Durham County Council has pledged toward the project and follows the region’s bid for the UK City of Culture 2025.