Workers at the National Coal Mining Museum in Wakefield are to start four weeks of strikes later this month in a row over pay, says UNISON today (Wednesday).
Staff will initially walk out from Wednesday 20 August to Sunday 14 September, warning of further action if museum bosses continue to refuse to honour a previous pay promise.
The staff are angry managers went back on an agreed salary rise of either 5% or £1 an hour, whichever was higher.
UNISON says the pay package was agreed in early June, but pulled less than a fortnight later, supposedly because trustees had refused to endorse it.
Frustrated workers then balloted for strike action last month with an overwhelming majority (74%) backing walkouts.
Staff say trustees told them they didn’t block the pay rise. UNISON has written to the board of trustees seeking clarification and a meeting.
UNISON Yorkshire and Humberside regional organiser Rianne Hooley said: “The National Coal Mining Museum is a site of huge cultural significance but wouldn’t exist without the hard work of its staff.
“They deserve to be treated with respect. Putting a pay offer on the table then taking it away is completely unacceptable.
“Nobody wants to take strike action, but nobody wants to be messed about either.
“There’s still time for the museum to stop any disruption. Managers simply need to honour the pay rise offered to workers in June.
“Staff are prepared to take sustained strike action to secure the fair pay rise they were promised.”
Notes:
– The pay deal was agreed on 6 June 2025, but was withdrawn on 17 June 2025.
– The strike ballot closed on 30 July 2025. In the vote, 73.9% of staff backed strike action and 94.9% backed action short of a strike. The turnout was 95.1%.
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