Castles may close in staff pay battle
Jun 24 2009 by Sam Wood, The Journal
MAJOR tourist sites in the North East could close this summer if workers strike.
Hundreds of English Heritage employees began voting yesterday on the action, which could affect sites including Holy Island, Vindolanda Roman Fort on Hadrian’s Wall, as well as castles such as Warkworth and Dunstanburgh.
If staff strike, it could mean attractions close at the height of the tourist season.
The Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) said 400 members, dozens of them in the North East, would be balloted over a campaign of industrial action in protest at pay proposals.
English Heritage says its pay system is being shaken up to improve career progression. But the union says the proposals would lead to cuts.
Gordon Rowntree, of the North East PCS, said: “We don’t want to shut these places down at such a key time, but that is what we will do unless management starts to talk to us.
“If the strike goes ahead, it will be later this summer. We will be looking to picket some of the key sites where we have workers. Many of our members are already very poorly paid.” The union said the plans would create a two-tier workforce, with staff in visitor operations forced to take “drastic” cuts. It is also feared the plans could lead to regional pay banding.
