Museum is all at sea as unions seek recognition

A statutory recognition ballot is being run this month among staff at the National Maritime Museum, in the wake of an acrimonious campaign by the PCS and Prospect civil service unions.

In April, the museum's staff voted overwhelmingly in favour of union recognition, but management flatly refused it. The current ballot was ordered by the Central Arbitration Committee, which runs the statutory recognition process.

"Our members throughout the culture sector are low paid, but with union recognition pay and workers' conditions can be improved," said PCS negotiations officer Shavanah Taj. "We believe management are balking at the possibility of better pay for staff because of the union's past successes."

PCS members carried out a public protest outside the museum in Greenwich, south London last month, handing out flyers and asking members of the public to sign a giant petition. The aim was to gain public support and to demonstrate staff anger to management.