5th June 2008, 03:48 PM
Our one-day strike on Monday 9th June is over pay. Our pay award for the financial year 2007/08 was 13 months late. When it finally arrived, it was 2%, less than half the current rate of inflation.
Striking today is not a step we have taken lightly, but 86% of us voted for today's action. As archaeologists and specialists, we are committed to making the Museum of London Archaeology Service a world-class organisation. But we have been forced into taking industrial action by the government's crazy pay policy.
The government insists that public sector pay is restricted to 2%. Ironically, Museum of London bosses want to pay more and can afford to pay more, but have been forbidden from doing so by Gordon Brown.
The Prime Minister argues that public sector pay causes inflation. But even his own Office of National Statistics points out that inflation increases are caused by the rising cost of food, fuel and travel. The government has not listened to the Museum's arguments that there is a strong business case for a substantial pay rise.
We are not alone in being angry over our real-terms pay cut. In April, over 250,000 teachers staged their first national strike in 20 years alongside more than 100,000 PCS civil service workers. The Science Museum has just voted for strike action and other museums look set to follow suit. The Unison union is currently balloting its 600,000 members in the NHS, and will be balloting its 800,000 members in local government in England and Wales over strikes. The Unite union is also balloting members in local government for strikes.
The UCU lecturers' union has called a strike of its 7,000 members in further education colleges in London today. This afternoon in Westminster, the TUC is organising a lobby of Parliament in support of public services.
We fear that this low pay settlement will compound problems of low morale, recruitment and retention at MoLAS. That's why we are striking today. We hope you can support us.
What you can do:
Send a message of support to the strikers to Prospect House, 8 Leake Street, London SE1 or email it to:
supportmuseumoflondonstrike@live.co.uk
"No job worth doing was ever done on time or under budget.."
Khufu
Striking today is not a step we have taken lightly, but 86% of us voted for today's action. As archaeologists and specialists, we are committed to making the Museum of London Archaeology Service a world-class organisation. But we have been forced into taking industrial action by the government's crazy pay policy.
The government insists that public sector pay is restricted to 2%. Ironically, Museum of London bosses want to pay more and can afford to pay more, but have been forbidden from doing so by Gordon Brown.
The Prime Minister argues that public sector pay causes inflation. But even his own Office of National Statistics points out that inflation increases are caused by the rising cost of food, fuel and travel. The government has not listened to the Museum's arguments that there is a strong business case for a substantial pay rise.
We are not alone in being angry over our real-terms pay cut. In April, over 250,000 teachers staged their first national strike in 20 years alongside more than 100,000 PCS civil service workers. The Science Museum has just voted for strike action and other museums look set to follow suit. The Unison union is currently balloting its 600,000 members in the NHS, and will be balloting its 800,000 members in local government in England and Wales over strikes. The Unite union is also balloting members in local government for strikes.
The UCU lecturers' union has called a strike of its 7,000 members in further education colleges in London today. This afternoon in Westminster, the TUC is organising a lobby of Parliament in support of public services.
We fear that this low pay settlement will compound problems of low morale, recruitment and retention at MoLAS. That's why we are striking today. We hope you can support us.
What you can do:
Send a message of support to the strikers to Prospect House, 8 Leake Street, London SE1 or email it to:
supportmuseumoflondonstrike@live.co.uk
"No job worth doing was ever done on time or under budget.."
Khufu