Strike Over at National Museum of Wales

A "long-running dispute" at the National Museum of Wales over weekend payments appears to have been settled after the museum workers accepted the administration's latest offer. In the past, museum workers were paid a premium for working on weekends, but the museum no longer wants to pay this premium. The accepted offer includes a 4% wage increase and a lump sum payout equal to five years' worth of premium payments, and comes after workers have been striking periodically for the last two years. The workers are represented by Public and Commercial Services Union.

Budget Cuts at National Library of Australia

Coming budget cuts at the National Library of Australia are expected to result in the elimination of at least twenty staff positions and reduced services, including cancellation of subscriptions. Additionally, some services may be outsourced. Community and Public Sector Union deputy secretary Beth Vincent-Pietsch stated: 

"What's become clear from our meetings is that the cuts to jobs and programs that have been announced so far are only the start of the process. We expect all of these agencies to be forced to make further cuts. The government needs to recognise the long-term and in many cases permanent damage these cuts will do, and reverse them immediately so that Australia's cultural heritage can be kept alive."

The reduction in funding from the Australian government will result in similar measures being taken at other Australian cultural institutions, including National Museum of Australia, National Portrait Gallery, Museum of Australian Democracy, National Film and Sound Archive, and National Gallery of Australia. 

Day of Discontent in Bulgaria

Workers at libraries, museums, and art galleries in Bulgaria held a "Day of Discontent" on November 24th. The protest was organized by the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria and Confederation of Labour Podkrepa in response to low wages and decreases in national funding. The protests included demonstrations at some participating locations, as well as allowing visitors to enter the museums and galleries for free. 

Strike at National Museums of Scotland

Workers at the National Museum of Scotland and the National War Museum are on strike as part of an on-going protest over the removal of a weekend pay allowance affecting new hires. Workers who joined the museum staff in 2011 and later do not receive the special allowance for working on weekends, while those who began their employment earlier than the cutoff continue to receive this money. According to a union spokesman:

"If someone was employed by the National Museum of Scotland in December 2010 and worked weekends then they earn between £2,000 and £3,000 more than a colleague working beside them if they joined in January 2011, so it's wrong that this is the case."

The museum workers are members of the Public and Commercial Services Union.

New Contract for MoMA Staff

The union representing staff members at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City have reached a tentative agreement with the museum administration on a new collective agreement. Earlier this month museum workers held a protest during Party in the Garden, an annual fundraising event, in response to the museum's proposal that workers cover increased costs related to healthcare.

Strike Action in Northern Ireland

Public sector unions across Northern Ireland participated in strike action yesterday, affecting services including schools, libraries, and museums. The strike action is in response to the Stormont House Agreement.