A large group of British workers from various organizations, including British Museum, will begin their strike from next month.
Civil servants at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) and employees at the British Museum have collectively announced their intent to go on strike next month. The DCMS will begin its strike on February 1st, joined by 100,000 members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS). Workers at the Wallace Collection, Historic England, National Museums Scotland, and the National Museum of Liverpool could also join the strike. Overall, some 500,000 people are expected to hit the streets from the 1st of the next month, impacting more than 100 public departments in the country. The British Museum will join them on the roads from February 13th.
The primary reason behind the strike is the pay increase. The government had announced a pay raise of 2 percent for all civil servants in the country. In contrast, the UK has been witnessing an inflation rate of 9 percent as of December 2022. The large gap between appraisals and inflation forced the workers to hit the streets. The PCS, which was the main force behind organizing this strike, said: “Only by taking part in well-supported effective action, do we stand a chance of ending the cycle of low pay and getting the type of pay rise we deserve.”
Also Read: Dress Worn By Princess Diana Fetches Over $600K At Sotheby’s
The British Museum also showed solidarity with the cause, saying: “This industrial action is part of a nationwide dispute across the public sector and focuses on matters that are common across the sector and outside the control of the museum.We have a carefully rehearsed operational plan in place to respond to any staff shortages on the day. That plan prioritises a safe and secure opening of the museum on a phased basis. We will endeavour to keep visitors informed of any disruption on our website with updates throughout the day.”