Two-hundred National Museums of Science and Industry (NMSI) staff staged a one-day strike at four UK venues last month at what has been described as the worst pay offer by a UK heritage site.
Members of the Prospect trade union picketed outside the Science Museum in London, York's National Railway Museum, the National Media Museum in Bradford and the Science Museum Swindon.
More than 80 per cent of Prospect members had voted to strike. Some members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union also joined the picket lines.
Prospect negotiations officer Emily Boase said despite the museums "using substantial numbers of agency staff", the strike action meant museum workings were "severely disrupted".
"The museums couldn't replace a curator or an explainer for a day, so the quality must have been severely affected," she added.
"We want the museum [management] to return to the negotiations table. We want to put more money on the table."
Prospect members are taking a stand against pay offers of 1.5 per cent below inflation in 2007-08 and a performance-related only deal for 2008-09. "The reality is that this is the worst offer in the heritage sector," said Boase.
A spokeswoman for NMSI said: "It was very much business as usual at all our museums during the strike.
"Our pay award mirrors exactly our grant in aid settlements. We are passing on to staff the full uplift we have received. We are holding nothing back."
NMSI said it was open to further negotiations, but said its pay awards "compare favourably with those in the wider public sector".
Pressure has also been placed on the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). "We would like the DCMS to press the museum to resolve the issue," said Boase.
Prospect and PCS members have agreed to a work to rule policy that began last month. Boase added that further strike action was a possibility.
Employees of the Museum of London and Museum of London Archaeology Service (MoLAS) also took strike action over pay last month. It was the first strike ever taken by MoLAS members and led to the closure of 10 archaeological sites around London.
Members of the Prospect trade union picketed outside the Science Museum in London, York's National Railway Museum, the National Media Museum in Bradford and the Science Museum Swindon.
More than 80 per cent of Prospect members had voted to strike. Some members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union also joined the picket lines.
Prospect negotiations officer Emily Boase said despite the museums "using substantial numbers of agency staff", the strike action meant museum workings were "severely disrupted".
"The museums couldn't replace a curator or an explainer for a day, so the quality must have been severely affected," she added.
"We want the museum [management] to return to the negotiations table. We want to put more money on the table."
Prospect members are taking a stand against pay offers of 1.5 per cent below inflation in 2007-08 and a performance-related only deal for 2008-09. "The reality is that this is the worst offer in the heritage sector," said Boase.
A spokeswoman for NMSI said: "It was very much business as usual at all our museums during the strike.
"Our pay award mirrors exactly our grant in aid settlements. We are passing on to staff the full uplift we have received. We are holding nothing back."
NMSI said it was open to further negotiations, but said its pay awards "compare favourably with those in the wider public sector".
Pressure has also been placed on the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). "We would like the DCMS to press the museum to resolve the issue," said Boase.
Prospect and PCS members have agreed to a work to rule policy that began last month. Boase added that further strike action was a possibility.
Employees of the Museum of London and Museum of London Archaeology Service (MoLAS) also took strike action over pay last month. It was the first strike ever taken by MoLAS members and led to the closure of 10 archaeological sites around London.
