Dispute leads to museum’s closure (From Daily Echo)

good luck guys i hope you get what you need.

Have they had a pay increase across the board to accommodate expected weekend working hours? Or have the council just decided the pay will stay exactly as-is and the staff have to work for normal week-day pay.

Unforunately I expect the council will find people to work these hours at a non-overtime rate if the current employees don't want to.

And they'll change the job description so weekend work is "part of the expected hours" and therefore not subject to an 'overtime' uplift.

I've no idea how much they are paid, and whether the job is simply opening up, taking money at the door, and cashing up and closing up at the end of the day. Or perhaps its much more skilled and they need to be paid more than a shop assistant manager.

10 Minute Man wrote:
Have they had a pay increase across the board to accommodate expected weekend working hours? Or have the council just decided the pay will stay exactly as-is and the staff have to work for normal week-day pay. Unforunately I expect the council will find people to work these hours at a non-overtime rate if the current employees don't want to. And they'll change the job description so weekend work is "part of the expected hours" and therefore not subject to an 'overtime' uplift. I've no idea how much they are paid, and whether the job is simply opening up, taking money at the door, and cashing up and closing up at the end of the day. Or perhaps its much more skilled and they need to be paid more than a shop assistant manager.

No, they have not had a pay increase across the board. These proposals amount to a wage cut. Museum attendants are not salaried. They are hourly paid. Saturdays have always been part of the contracted week - Monday being the rest day. Because they take staff outside the normal working hours for a 37 hour week, (previously 39 hours) part of Saturday hours have always been paid at a different rate to the flat hourly rate, but it is not straight overtime. Neither is there a choice. Sunday afternoons are paid at overtime and the choice to work or not is at present, the individual's. Most do to boost their abominal pay, or the museums would never have opened on a Sunday.

Also, attendants actually work longer than 37 hours Tues-Sat, and those hours are added up over a period allowing a full extra day off when enough have accrued. Work it out. 08.00 to 17.15 with an hour for lunch. None of this extra pay or hours worked has been consolidated into a new hourly rate of pay to create the flexibility for museums to be open all day on Sundays and Mondays. If it had been, then there would have been no problem.

The Council are trying to do things on the cheap as usual, targeting those who are least able to fight back - the front of house staff. As for the comment that these proposals would save “tens of thousands of pounds” Who is Hannides kidding?

You are right. The job entails far more than is often thought. Who is responsible at the sharp end, particularly at weekends when there are no managers around, for security of objects, buildings, cash, shop stock, and visitors? Who is responsible for the day to day running of the buildings? Who answers visitor's questions, etc? NVQ and City and Guild qualifications in Warding and Customer Service are distinct advantages for Museum attendants. In some areas you can't get a job unless you have them.

At least they have a job with pension. Many unemployed would happily take their place.