Nicola Rees/BBCWorkers at the National Coal Mining Museum for England have rejected the latest pay offer in their ongoing dispute over wages, a union has said.
At least 40 members of Unison at the site in Wakefield have been on continuous strike since mid-August calling for higher pay.
Unison said members had rejected a new pay offer which a spokesperson said would have left many staff worse off than a previous proposal which was thrown out.
A spokesperson for the National Coal Mining Museum for England said it was “disappointed” the pay offer has been rejected.
Unison said representatives had met the museum’s chief executive Lynn Dunning and local Labour MP Jade Botterill last week with the aim of finding a resolution.
During the meeting, museum managers had suggested a £1 an hour rise for fitters and electricians and a 5% pay rise for other staff, a union spokesperson said.
For many workers that would work out lower than the 80p an hour increase previously suggested by museum management, the union said.
Meanwhile, according to Unison, the chief executive “continued to refuse to disclose” financial documents which could help to work out an “affordable and acceptable” offer.
National Coal Mining MuseumChristina McAnea, Unison general secretary, said: “This dispute has already gone on for far too long.
“Museum bosses have spent more on continuing the strike than it would have cost them to give staff a reasonable pay rise.
“Senior managers should stop playing games, do the right thing and come up with a fair deal.”
Rianne Hooley, Unison Yorkshire and Humberside regional organiser, said: “If managers genuinely want to resolve this dispute, they should be transparent with Unison over what is and isn’t affordable.
“Otherwise, it looks like they have something to hide.”
Unison said its initial pay claim was for a £2.50 rise, meanwhile, in June, it had suggested a 5% pay rise, or £1 per hour – whichever was greater – for all staff.
That was in response to an offer from the museum of a £1 per hour increase for mine guides and 5% for everyone else, which Unison said would have given a bigger pay rise to male mine guides than the women employed elsewhere in the museum.
Museum managers were going to put their pay offer to the board of trustees but then withdrew it, the union said.
LDRSIn a statement, a museum spokesperson said: “We are disappointed our recent pay offer has been rejected. This included a £1 per hour increase for museum guides with specialist skills, such as electricians and fitters, and a 5% uplift for the wider team.
“After much discussion with Unison, this offer brought the museum’s pay structure in line with, and in some instances over, similar organisations’ structures.”
The museum remained “committed to recognising expertise and rewarding the valuable contributions of all team members”, the statement said.
“The board continues to make decisions guided by principles of fairness and affordability,” it added.
“We have reviewed arrangements at similar organisations to use as a comparator and will consider this model going forward as we implement our Succession Plan.”
A museum spokesperson said that like many charities it was facing “increasing financial pressures” and any offer “must protect the museum’s future”.
