WORLD
STRIKES CLOSE GLASGOW MUSEUMS OVER BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND
Baku, May 31 (AZERTAC). The dispute could close attractions like the Kelvingrove Museum Some of Scotland`s most popular museums will be closed over the Bank Holiday weekend due to industrial action. Four unions are staging 24-hour strike action on Friday and Monday over a pay freeze and changes to overtime.
Culture and Sport Glasgow - the charity which runs arts, sport and leisure services for the city - claims changes are needed to save cash and jobs.
Two previous strikes have closed the Kelvingrove Museum, the Burrell Collection and the People`s Palace. The dispute follows a decision by Culture and Sport Glasgow to implement a pay freeze from 1 April along with a change to "plain time" for all overtime worked. It aims to make £3.4m in cuts this financial year and, since September last year, has been discussing with unions how it will implement them. The Unison, Unite, GMB and Bectu unions have said the changes amount to a pay cut for their members and question why the charity is the only city council arms-length company to have implemented a pay freeze.
Two previous 24-hour strikes in the past month have closed some of the city`s most popular attractions. A third day of action on Friday closed all Glasgow`s museums.
The cities libraries were also closed with the exception of Woodside Library and Cardonald Library. Community centres were also closed with the exception of Barlanark, Tollcross, Shettleston, Govanhill and Darnley. Glasgow Chamber of Commerce said it was concerned that continued disruption to galleries and museums could start to damage the city`s wider tourist industry.