Striking workers at the National Coal Mining Museum have rejected a pay offer that they say ‘would have left many staff worse off than a proposal they'd previously thrown out’.

More than 40 workers have been on a continuous strike at the Wakefield museum since mid-August in a dispute over pay.

UNISON met with the museum’s chief executive Lynn Dunning and local Labour MP Jade Botterill last week in the hope of finding a resolution.

The union said that during the meeting, museum managers suggested a £1 an hour rise for ‘craftspeople’ (which the museum defines as fitters and electricians) and five per cent for other staff.

The picket line at the National Coal Mining Museum.

placeholder image — The picket line at the National Coal Mining Museum.

‘For many workers, including some attending the meeting, this would work out lower than the 80p an hour increase previously suggested’, it said.

The union received a written offer of the latest proposal earlier this week and striking workers have now formally rejected it.

UNISON added that during the meeting, the chief executive continued to refuse to disclose financial documents that the union says could help to work out an affordable and acceptable offer.

UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea 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."

UNISON Yorkshire and Humberside regional organiser Rianne Hooley said: “Staff are keen to get back to work, but only when a fair pay offer is put forward.

“The latest offer from the museum is actually worse for many of the workers.

“UNISON has repeatedly asked for financial details to help establish what's affordable, but these have been refused.

“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.”

In response, a statement on behalf of the National Coal Mining Museum, said: “The charity’s trustees are very grateful for the continued support of visitors to our free-to-enter museum and sincerely regret any inconvenience caused by the current industrial action by Unison members.

"The majority of our staff continue to work as normal, supported by our dedicated volunteers, and the museum remains open with a full programme of activities.

"However, due to the strike, underground tours are temporarily unavailable. We are working hard and offering alternative experiences and rescheduled visits for families, schools, and groups.

"We are disappointed that 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 five per cent 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 proposal also featured Death in Service benefits and a commitment to further review the staffing structure during the coming 12 months.

"The museum remains committed to recognising expertise and rewarding the valuable contributions of all team members.

"The Board continues to make decisions guided by principles of fairness and affordability.

"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.

"The Charity’s Accounts are published as required and are in the public domain. Sharing a Charity’s internal financial information with external bodies is both unethical and poor practice and would not be expected of any responsible organisation.

"Like many charities, we are facing increasing financial pressures, and any offer must protect the museum’s future, ensuring we can continue to share the vital story of coal mining for generations to come.”