Planned strike action by more than 40 staff members at the National Coal Mining Museum in Wakefield will go ahead on Wednesday after managers failed to provide an improved pay offer in talks, says UNISON today (Monday).
The union met with museum bosses through the arbitration service Acas on Friday, hoping a revised figure could be agreed to put to staff, enabling industrial action to be suspended.
But the museum’s management turned up with an inferior offer to the one put forward at a previous meeting with Acas, says UNISON.
Managers proposed an uplift of 80p an hour or 5% for all workers, whichever is the greater. That’s despite a previous pledge to recommend the museum’s board of trustees accept £1 an hour or 5%*.
UNISON says it is also disappointing that senior museum officials are denying this was ever a firm proposal, and instead now claim these were “numbers being floated around” during earlier talks. The union’s understanding is that these were pay offers.
This behaviour shows utter disrespect towards the staff who bring the National Coal Mining Museum to life through their storytelling, adds UNISON.
The union says it is willing to meet with museum managers at the earliest opportunity if they are serious about trying to resolve the dispute.
UNISON Yorkshire and Humberside regional organiser Rianne Hooley said: “When museum managers said they wanted Acas talks, it seemed as though they were keen to resolve the dispute and show staff they’re valued.
“Instead, they’ve come back with a proposal that’s worse. It’s a clear demonstration of how little managers value staff.
“These aren’t highly-paid workers. Mine guides typically earn around £12.86 an hour, and many staff are on £12.60 per hour, not much more than the minimum wage. All too often they’re struggling to make ends meet.
“If museum managers actually care about their staff, they’ll improve the offer. UNISON is happy to meet right away to resolve this. That would allow families to enjoy the museum and its facilities throughout the summer holidays.
“But until they are willing to do so, staff have no option but to strike.”
Notes:
– *In March, the National Coal Mining Museum put forward a 5% pay offer for all staff, which was rejected. A second offer was made in June via Acas talks of a £1 per hour uplift for mine guides and 5% for everyone else. UNISON said this had the potential effect of giving a greater pay rise to men (who make up the team of mine guides) than women employed elsewhere at the museum.
– UNISON suggested 5% or £1 per hour for all staff, whichever is greater, which the museum’s management said would be put forward as a pay rise suggestion to the board of trustees with a recommendation for acceptance. That was withdrawn 11 days later.
– 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%.
Staff will walk out on Wednesday (20 August) for four weeks. The picket line will be outside the entrance to the National Coal Mining Museum (New Rd, Overton, Wakefield WF4 4RH) from 9am.
– The national minimum wage for workers aged 21 and over in the UK is £12.21, as of 1 April 2025.
– UNISON says the three highest paid managers at the museum are on a combined salary of around £250k. The pay gap between the highest paid employee and the lowest is thought to be more than £120k.
– The museum has made an operating surplus of more than half a million pounds (£596,659). It has also been in surplus for the preceding four financial years. The museum has £10 million in reserves. UNISON believes the £1 per hour or 5% option would only add approximately £150k to the existing pay bill, still leaving the museum with an operating surplus of more than £400k. The museum has provided no evidence to disprove the union’s calculations.
