Wakefield: National Coal Mining Museum staff win pay rise - union

Workers at the National Coal Mining Museum have won pay rises after going on strike.

Nearly 100 staff had secured increases of "up to 10.5%" during talks with the Wakefield museum's managers, according to Unison.

The employees, including ex-miners who give tours of underground tunnels at the former Caphouse Colliery, walked out for five days last month.

Further strike action had been called off after the pay deal, Unison said.

Staff at the museum who were members of Unison accepted a pay rise of £1,650 plus a one-off cost of living payment of £350.

It said they had previously been offered less than £1,000,

Sam Greenwood, Unison's Wakefield district branch secretary, said: "Museum staff took a stand and have achieved a wage rise that goes some way towards helping them through the cost of living crisis."

The museum said last month it had offered staff the maximum increase possible due to a government-imposed cap.

But Unison said the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport had since confirmed the cap did not apply.

Former miners' union boss Arthur Scargill supported workers on the picket line during the strike, during which the museum was forced to close.

In a statement, the museum confirmed it had agreed to pay staff "a flat rate increase of £1,650 consolidated per full time equivalent employee or at least a 3% increase on salary, whichever is the greater".

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