Former miners to join rally in support of striking National Coal Mining Museum workers
A rally will be held tomorrow to support workers at the National Coal Mining Museum who have been on strike for almost four months in a dispute over pay.
Former mineworkers will be among those joining the protest in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, which is being organised by Unison.
Its members have been on strike since mid-August.
A number of speakers will address the demonstration, including striking worker Eric Richardson, a former mineworker who took part in the national miners’ strike four decades ago, as well as local and national politicians.
Unison’s Yorkshire and Humberside regional organiser Rianne Hooley said: “This strike is about fair pay for workers at the museum. But it’s also about protecting the history of coal mining, which is a central part of this country’s heritage and particularly in West Yorkshire.
“Since day one of the walkout, staff have been treated with contempt by senior managers.
“This dispute has gone on for too long, and it needs to be sorted. This demonstration will further highlight to senior figures responsible for this mess that their behaviour has been completely unacceptable.”
The strike is scheduled to run until the end of January unless the dispute is resolved.
The National Coal Mining Museum said: “The charity’s trustees are very grateful for the continued support of visitors to our free-to-enter museum and regret any inconvenience caused by the current industrial action by Unison members.
“The majority of our staff continue to work as normal, supported by our dedicated volunteers, and the museum remains open with a full programme of activities.
“However, due to the strike, underground tours are temporarily unavailable. We are working hard and offering alternative experiences, including our time tunnel and other mining heritage tours, but it has meant that we have had to reschedule some visits for families, schools, and groups.
“The charity has compromised and offered a settlement which would give the craftspeople within the mining team exactly the uplift which Unison have demanded and supports the vision of a staffing structure comparable with other organisations, which Unison have quoted as desirable.
“We are disappointed therefore that our offer has been rejected and that industrial action has been extended until January 28.”