Union members to strike at National Galleries of Scotland

Four days of strikes by PCS union members working at the National Galleries of Scotland in Edinburgh begin on 7 August.

PCS said the action is in response to NGS management imposing detrimental changes to working practices and their failure to consult with the union.

The first walkout, which begins on the evening of 7 August and runs for 24 hours, coincides with the launch of the Catherine Opie, To Be Seen exhibition at The Mound. The other planned strike days, which all begin at 7pm and run for 24 hours, are 11, 16 and 19 August.

PCS members will also be taking part in action short of a strike through refusing to wear NGS uniforms.

“These four days of strike action will cause significant disruption during a high-profile time of the year,” said PCS Scotland national officer Ruby Gibson.

“The shameless attempts by senior management to use taxpayers’ money to pay overtime in an effort to undermine a strike is the latest misstep from a management team who need to take their heads out of the sand and consult with PCS rather than impose detrimental changes.

“It is ironic that while the Scottish Government is attempting to save money for the public purse by cutting budgets and talking about worker led reforms, employers are disregarding their workers’ views and wasting money on overtime.

“Any disruption to the galleries during this crucial time of the year will be because of their failure to consult.”

A spokesperson from the National Galleries of Scotland said: “Colleagues, visitors and the art in our care remain our top priorities. Staffing levels in our Security and Visitor Engagement team have increased by 16% compared to 2023/24 and 2025/26 averages. Working practices and operations remain the same under the structure agreed following PCS consultation in 2023. 

“We chose not to fill five vacant positions in line with our long-standing organisational approach to vacancy management. No one has lost their jobs and service delivery is unaffected. 

“Our operational requirements remain dynamic and we have just been joined by 52 new colleagues for our summer exhibitions.”

Elsewhere, the National Gallery in London has been responding to criticism over the way it treats PCS members at the museum.

PCS said its members “are furious over potentially discriminatory two-tier staff facilities and a failure to offer the same backpay as gallery colleagues”. 

The Guardian recently reported that members on the CIS Security contract at the gallery – the majority of whom are Black and Asian – are prevented from accessing the staff “accommodation hub” and using its heavily subsidised canteen. 

In response, a National Gallery statement said: “The National Gallery is an Equal Opportunities Employer and requires its contractors to adhere to this policy. We retain close contact with all contractors to ensure the wellbeing of everyone working at the National Gallery remains a priority.

“Staff provision is regularly reviewed by both the gallery and its contractors. Following recent consultations undertaken by CIS, a number of improvements to staff facilities are being implemented, including upgrades to furniture and ventilation. These ongoing improvements reflect our commitment to creating a more comfortable, practical, and welcoming environment for our security colleagues.”