Editorial
End the culture of low pay and no pay
When is a member of staff not a member of staff? There should be a straightforward answer to this question, but in the murky world of zero-hours contracts, unpaid internships and volunteers replacing paid staff, it’s not that simple.
Last month, a row broke out about zero-hours contracts that led to the government announcing a review of their use. About a million workers in the UK are thought to be on these contracts – four times the previous estimate.
In light of this, Museums Journal has investigated their use in the sector. The results are troubling.
Institutions ranging from National Museums Northern Ireland to the British Museum, National Maritime Museum, Ashmolean Museum and National Museums Liverpool are using the contracts to varying degrees and to cover different roles.
Despite the argument that zero-hours contracts give both employers and workers ‘flexibility’, in practice it is usually the employer that gains. Workers on these contracts have no fixed hours and often no holiday pay, sick leave or job security.
Many of the staff are employed through third-party contractors to provide front-of-house, security, catering and cleaning roles.
Since the cuts hit, there has been anecdotal evidence that paid roles have been replaced by volunteers, and that the use of unpaid internships is on the increase.
If we want to avoid reinforcing the idea of a two-tier workforce, where a growing number of staff are exploited through no-wage or low-wage posts, then it is time for those in the leadership of museums to take a stand.
Paid internships, such as those offered by Museums Galleries Scotland are one solution. A commitment to decent contracts that respect rights and pay a living wage is another.
Sharon Heal, editor, Museums Journal
sharon@museumsassociation.org
www.twitter.com/sharonheal
www.museumsassociation.org/conference
Last month, a row broke out about zero-hours contracts that led to the government announcing a review of their use. About a million workers in the UK are thought to be on these contracts – four times the previous estimate.
In light of this, Museums Journal has investigated their use in the sector. The results are troubling.
Institutions ranging from National Museums Northern Ireland to the British Museum, National Maritime Museum, Ashmolean Museum and National Museums Liverpool are using the contracts to varying degrees and to cover different roles.
Despite the argument that zero-hours contracts give both employers and workers ‘flexibility’, in practice it is usually the employer that gains. Workers on these contracts have no fixed hours and often no holiday pay, sick leave or job security.
Many of the staff are employed through third-party contractors to provide front-of-house, security, catering and cleaning roles.
Since the cuts hit, there has been anecdotal evidence that paid roles have been replaced by volunteers, and that the use of unpaid internships is on the increase.
If we want to avoid reinforcing the idea of a two-tier workforce, where a growing number of staff are exploited through no-wage or low-wage posts, then it is time for those in the leadership of museums to take a stand.
Paid internships, such as those offered by Museums Galleries Scotland are one solution. A commitment to decent contracts that respect rights and pay a living wage is another.
Sharon Heal, editor, Museums Journal
sharon@museumsassociation.org
www.twitter.com/sharonheal
www.museumsassociation.org/conference