National Gallery hit by strike action
Rebecca Atkinson, 23.01.2012
Gallery attendants walk out over reduced staffing levels
The National Gallery was forced to close two thirds of its permanent galleries last week after gallery attendants held the first of a series of planned strike actions.
The walkout, held by about 40 members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union, was the first of several planned walkouts in protest at reduced staffing levels. Following the Comprehensive Spending Review, the gallery has a policy of not replacing staff when they leave – meaning attendants have to watch over two rooms rather than one.
Despite having to close about 36 rooms, the National Gallery managed to keep its blockbuster Leonardo da Vinci exhibition open to ticketholders during the strike action. The strikers staged their protest in Trafalgar Square and outside the entrance to the da Vinci exhibition for two hours from 1pm last Thursday.
A further walkout is planned on Saturday 28 January between 4pm and 6pm, and PCS said that more strikes are possible in February if staffing levels are not reviewed.
Mark Serwotka, general secretary at PCS, said: “As well as hosting high profile exhibitions like da Vinci, the gallery is home to some incredibly valuable works of art, not just in monetary terms but in their contribution to culture and our society.
"But instead of investing in the arts, and the people who look after them, the government has imposed massive spending cuts on our museums and galleries to pay for an economic crisis caused by bankers, and we are now seeing the impact of this on the National Gallery and elsewhere."
Last year, Nicolas Poussin’s painting Adoration of the Golden Calf was vandalised at the National Gallery in a room without an assistant. The union, which represents almost 90% of the National Gallery’s 200 gallery assistants, said this wouldn't have happened if a member of staff had been in attendance at the time.
In a statement, the National Gallery said that staffing levels were in line with other galleries in the UK and Europe and were “not unusual or controversial”.
It added: “The change has been made because the National Gallery and others believe this to be a more effective and reliable means of invigilation and it has been implemented with the full approval of the current national security adviser. The security of the collection is of paramount concern to the National Gallery.”
The walkout, held by about 40 members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union, was the first of several planned walkouts in protest at reduced staffing levels. Following the Comprehensive Spending Review, the gallery has a policy of not replacing staff when they leave – meaning attendants have to watch over two rooms rather than one.
Despite having to close about 36 rooms, the National Gallery managed to keep its blockbuster Leonardo da Vinci exhibition open to ticketholders during the strike action. The strikers staged their protest in Trafalgar Square and outside the entrance to the da Vinci exhibition for two hours from 1pm last Thursday.
A further walkout is planned on Saturday 28 January between 4pm and 6pm, and PCS said that more strikes are possible in February if staffing levels are not reviewed.
Mark Serwotka, general secretary at PCS, said: “As well as hosting high profile exhibitions like da Vinci, the gallery is home to some incredibly valuable works of art, not just in monetary terms but in their contribution to culture and our society.
"But instead of investing in the arts, and the people who look after them, the government has imposed massive spending cuts on our museums and galleries to pay for an economic crisis caused by bankers, and we are now seeing the impact of this on the National Gallery and elsewhere."
Last year, Nicolas Poussin’s painting Adoration of the Golden Calf was vandalised at the National Gallery in a room without an assistant. The union, which represents almost 90% of the National Gallery’s 200 gallery assistants, said this wouldn't have happened if a member of staff had been in attendance at the time.
In a statement, the National Gallery said that staffing levels were in line with other galleries in the UK and Europe and were “not unusual or controversial”.
It added: “The change has been made because the National Gallery and others believe this to be a more effective and reliable means of invigilation and it has been implemented with the full approval of the current national security adviser. The security of the collection is of paramount concern to the National Gallery.”
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