Industrial action at Windsor Castle

Low-paid workers at one of the Queen’s palaces have voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action.

In a ballot of 76 of the wardens working at Windsor Castle, 84% voted for action on a turnout of 82%. Non-strike industrial action, including withdrawal of goodwill, could start from the end of April.

It would be the first such action specific to the Royal Households and comes after years of pay restraint has left loyal workers paid below the Living Wage, with new recruits starting on as little as £14,400 a year.

In the last few years staff have been asked to carry out extra duties for no additional pay, at the same time as suffering Treasury-imposed pay cuts.

The wardens, employed by a charitable arm of the Royal Households called the Royal Collection Trust, work at the castle entrance, around the grounds and inside the palace, helping visitors and protecting artworks.

They only narrowly accepted an unsatisfactory pay offer last year on the understanding that additional allowances for paid-for tours and other skills would be considered this year.

http://pcs.org.uk/en/news_and_events/pcs_comment/pcs_comment.cfm/low-paid-windsor-wardens-vote-for-action

www.pcs.org.uk/en/news_and_events/news_centre/recent-news.cfm/royal-family-faces-first-ever-industrial-action-by-low-paid-staff