In your news story that was headed “Liverpool to shed 120 jobs to meet funding cuts”, it briefly mentioned the current situation at the National Museum of Science and Industry (NMSI) in respect of redundancies and restructuring. Unfortunately your comment that the museum has made “two redundancies in the past year” only paints part of the picture.
Although it is true that the museum is taking the very regrettable step of reducing staff budgets by 10%, it is the case that this process is much further along than the mere two redundancies mentioned.
Aside from these two compulsory redundancies, NMSI has seen a further loss of more than 20 individuals who have left voluntarily, but in the main under protest and with little other option but to take the NMSI’s offer.
While we appreciate that Museums Journal was not incorrect in what it printed, we feel this only gave a partial picture of the massive impact that such restructuring and redundancy programmes are having on the museum profession as a whole. It is likely that the situation at NMSI is unfortunately being repeated at numerous institutions across the country.
Prospect Union NMSI
Although it is true that the museum is taking the very regrettable step of reducing staff budgets by 10%, it is the case that this process is much further along than the mere two redundancies mentioned.
Aside from these two compulsory redundancies, NMSI has seen a further loss of more than 20 individuals who have left voluntarily, but in the main under protest and with little other option but to take the NMSI’s offer.
While we appreciate that Museums Journal was not incorrect in what it printed, we feel this only gave a partial picture of the massive impact that such restructuring and redundancy programmes are having on the museum profession as a whole. It is likely that the situation at NMSI is unfortunately being repeated at numerous institutions across the country.
Prospect Union NMSI
