12th June 2008, 01:55 PM
Dear BAJR,
The Museum of London branch of Prospect would like to thank you wholeheartedly for your support for our one-day strike on Monday 9 June 2008.
This was the first time the Museum?s archaeology service (MoLAS) has ever gone on strike and the first time a strike has extended across the entire Museum of London group.
The strike was over our pay award for the last financial year ? it was 13 months late and less than half the rate of current RPI inflation. Ironically, our employer has the money to pay us more and wants to pay us more, but their hands have been tied by the government?s 2% pay cap.
The strike was a big success. We held a morning rally outside the main entrance of the Museum of London, based at the Barbican. Paul Noon, the Prospect General Secretary, and Graeme Henderson, a former Prospect President, both spoke at the rally and I read out the many messages of support ? including from BAJR users. The fact that BAJR closed down for the day cheered the strikers.
The strike closed at least ten MoLAS sites across the capital, including three sites where the entire archaeological workforce joined the union and went on strike. The few sites that did open did so with a much reduced workforce. A picket line was maintained at MoLAS HQ at Mortimer Wheeler House in Hackney where executive management contracted in extra (non-unionised) security to guard what was virtually an empty building.
After the rally, many union members went to the TUC ?Speak up for public services? event at Westminster. There we heard that there are hundreds of thousands of workers in the same boat as us, worried about housing costs, the cost of food and travel and also subject to below-inflation pay awards. The big unions are galvanising for further strike action later in the year against poverty pay ? it is a fight for us all.
Many thanks for your support!
Antony Francis, Chair of Museum of London branch of Prospect
"No job worth doing was ever done on time or under budget.."
Khufu
The Museum of London branch of Prospect would like to thank you wholeheartedly for your support for our one-day strike on Monday 9 June 2008.
This was the first time the Museum?s archaeology service (MoLAS) has ever gone on strike and the first time a strike has extended across the entire Museum of London group.
The strike was over our pay award for the last financial year ? it was 13 months late and less than half the rate of current RPI inflation. Ironically, our employer has the money to pay us more and wants to pay us more, but their hands have been tied by the government?s 2% pay cap.
The strike was a big success. We held a morning rally outside the main entrance of the Museum of London, based at the Barbican. Paul Noon, the Prospect General Secretary, and Graeme Henderson, a former Prospect President, both spoke at the rally and I read out the many messages of support ? including from BAJR users. The fact that BAJR closed down for the day cheered the strikers.
The strike closed at least ten MoLAS sites across the capital, including three sites where the entire archaeological workforce joined the union and went on strike. The few sites that did open did so with a much reduced workforce. A picket line was maintained at MoLAS HQ at Mortimer Wheeler House in Hackney where executive management contracted in extra (non-unionised) security to guard what was virtually an empty building.
After the rally, many union members went to the TUC ?Speak up for public services? event at Westminster. There we heard that there are hundreds of thousands of workers in the same boat as us, worried about housing costs, the cost of food and travel and also subject to below-inflation pay awards. The big unions are galvanising for further strike action later in the year against poverty pay ? it is a fight for us all.
Many thanks for your support!
Antony Francis, Chair of Museum of London branch of Prospect
"No job worth doing was ever done on time or under budget.."
Khufu