Gallery workers to strike over staffing cuts

Staff at Edinburgh's public art galleries are to strike over cuts they claim could lead to collections being shut off to visitors.

Workers represented by the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union allege changes to rotas for gallery attendants mean room and floor closures are "inevitable".

They plan to walk out for one day on Friday evening to coincide with the opening of a new exhibition by photographer Catherine Opie at The Mound.

National Galleries of Scotland (NGS) said staffing levels had increased in recent years.

The move comes as thousands prepare to descend on Edinburgh ahead of the traditional festival season.

It is the first of four days of planned walkouts over the coming months, while staff will also refuse to wear NGS uniform on their return.

PCS claims that changes to working practices would mean reduced staffing, leaving some gallery attendants on their own in charge of large collections of artwork, and that this would become "the norm".

The union said some staff feared taking "comfort breaks" over being held responsible for a room or floor closure, while some front-of-house staff had been approached to cover security shifts without proper training.

It also said the move would make it "increasingly difficult" to honour reasonable adjustments for staff with disabilities.

Ruby Gibson, PCS national officer for Scotland, accused NGS of failing to consult staff and refusing to engage with complaints.

She said: "It is ironic that while the Scottish government is attempting to save money for the public purse by cutting budgets and talking about worker-led reforms, employers are disregarding their workers' views and wasting money on overtime.

"Any disruption to the galleries during this crucial time of the year will be because of their failure to consult."

The galleries are home to more than 120,000 works of art across their sites.

NGS said staffing levels in its security and visitor engagement teams had risen by 16% in the last year.

It added that working practices and operations would remain the same, as agreed in a previous consultation in 2023.

A spokesperson said: "No-one has lost their jobs and service delivery is unaffected.

"Colleagues, visitors and the art in our care remain our top priorities

"Our operational requirements remain dynamic, and we have just been joined by 52 new colleagues for our summer exhibitions."

A spokesperson for the Scottish government said: "National Galleries of Scotland is operationally independent. However, we encourage everyone involved to get round the table to resolve this and prevent any reduction in service to the public."