National Gallery plans to privatise visitor services

4 Jul 2014 01:07 PM

The PCS union has pledged to mount a "vigorous and visible campaign" against plans to privatise all visitor services at one of the UK's most important cultural attractions. 

The PCS union has pledged to mount a "vigorous and visible campaign" against plans to privatise all visitor services at one of the UK's most important cultural attractions.

Staff at the National Gallery have learned senior managers want to bring in a private company to run the services it provides for visitors, including gallery assistants and security.

The union fears for the reputation of the world renowned gallery and says a recent simialr privatisation at the Imperial War Museums is leading to a knowledge drain as experienced staff leave, and an increased use of zero hours contracts and more unstable working.

The move comes as the union prepares for a 1.5 million-strong public sector strike on Wednesday 10 July.