Wakefield Council set to ‘review’ mining museum funding and call in Charity Commission over strike
Calls have also been made for the local authority to urge the Charity Commission to carry out an investigation over the ongoing dispute.
Wakefield Council looks set to ‘review’ the funding it provides to the National Coal Mining Museum until strike action over workers’ pay at the tourist attraction is resolved.
Calls have also been made for the local authority to urge the Charity Commission to carry out an investigation over the ongoing dispute.
Staff began a four-week strike in August calling for higher pay, with union leaders saying some workers earned around £12.60 an hour.
It was extended to October 12 after Unison said the museum’s chief executive had refused to return to pay talks.
Philip Marshall, chair of trustees at the Wakefield museum, said it was “open to constructive dialogue with Unison to reach a resolution that supports both staff and long-term sustainability”.
Most of the striking staff are guildes leading underground tours and some were involved in the year-long miners’ strike of 1984-1985.
Wakefield Council’s controlling Labour group has put forward a motion calling on the authority to take action design to bring the dispute to an end.
It proposes a ‘review of any further financial support’ given by the council to the museum.
The motion states: “This includes processing any new grant funding applications submitted by the museum.”
Councillors have also been asked to agree to send details of “what has led to the dispute and what has occurred during it” to the Charity Commission”
The motion, proposed by Andy Nicholls, councillor for Wakefield Rural ward, adds: “This so an investigation is carried out into those events by the Charity Commission.”
Coun Nicholls said talks between management and the union had “not resulted in a fair resolution” and that the museum chief executive had “made concerning statements about refusing to negotiate further with the union.”
He said: “The impact of failing to resolve the dispute will be reduced visitor numbers both to the museum and our district, resulting in a further decline in the income the museum raises from visitors and will cause long term reputational harm.”
“The museum management has incurred unnecessary costs in prolonging the dispute by hiring private security and instructing a private solicitor, calling the police on pickets; anti-union tactics which recall the 1984 miners’ strike
“These are not highly paid workers. Mine guides earn around £12.86 an hour, and many staff are on £12.60 per hour and are often struggling to make ends meet.”
The motion, to be debated at a meeting on Wednesday (September 24,) calls on council leader Denise Jeffery to write to trustees “urging them to intercede” to ensure negotiations resume, and for Lisa Nandy MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, to be contacted.
Coun Nicholls said: “The National Coal Mining Museum is a vital institution in our community.
“The Wakefield district was built on coal and preserving our proud coalfield heritage, as well as providing education, inspiration and enjoyment to thousands each year ensures the legacy of our proud mining heritage lives on.”
Unison previously said the museum offered a pay rise of 5%, or 80p more per hour, whichever was higher, despite a previous pledge to recommend 5% or £1 an hour.
However, Mr Marshall said no such offer was “ever agreed” and that it “did not consider Unison’s pay claim to be reasonable or affordable in the current economic environment”.
Rianne Hooley, regional organiser for Unison Yorkshire and Humberside, said: “The workers simply want to be paid fairly so they can get back to the jobs they love, keeping the area’s coal mining heritage alive for future generations.”
The museum said trustees were “committed to supporting the executive team in resolving the dispute swiftly”.
It said it encouraged Unison to recommend its offer of 5%, or 80p per hour, to members “so we can work together towards a resolution.”
Earlier this week, Jon Trickett, MP for Normanton and Hemsworth, tabled an early day motion in support of the striking workers.
In it, he called on Parliament to “urge the trustees of the National Coal Mining Museum to intervene urgently to reinstate negotiations”.