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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/jul/31/national-gallery-hires-securitas-oversee-visitor-services-before-strikes
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| National Gallery hires Securitas to oversee visitor services prior to strikes | National Gallery hires Securitas to oversee visitor services prior to strikes |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| The National Gallery has appointed Securitas, one of Britain’s largest security firms, to manage some of its visitor services, just days before a series of strikes and a planned full stoppage from mid-August. | The National Gallery has appointed Securitas, one of Britain’s largest security firms, to manage some of its visitor services, just days before a series of strikes and a planned full stoppage from mid-August. |
| The London gallery, which receives more than 6 million visitors a year, is mired in a long-running dispute over privatisation. The Securitas contract, worth £40m over five years, was announced as Gabriele Finaldi takes over as director in August from Sir Nicholas Penny. | |
| “The gallery needs an experienced and competent partner to support it now and in the future and we believe that Securitas is the best possible partner for us. This is the right decision for all our staff and for the future of our gallery,” said Penny, who is retiring after six years in the job. | “The gallery needs an experienced and competent partner to support it now and in the future and we believe that Securitas is the best possible partner for us. This is the right decision for all our staff and for the future of our gallery,” said Penny, who is retiring after six years in the job. |
| Securitas will manage some visitor-facing and security staff services, facilities the gallery says many other national galleries and museums have already outsourced. | Securitas will manage some visitor-facing and security staff services, facilities the gallery says many other national galleries and museums have already outsourced. |
| The National Gallery said no staff members will be made redundant and all affected staff will continue to be paid the London living wage. The move affects about 300 gallery assistants who guard paintings and answer visitors’ questions. Their terms and conditions will be maintained, but they will be employed by Securitas and not by the National Gallery. Their day-to-day work will remain pretty much the same as now. | |
| “All those staff affected will have the option to move to Securitas with the same terms and conditions and remain a valued part of the National Gallery family,” said the gallery. | “All those staff affected will have the option to move to Securitas with the same terms and conditions and remain a valued part of the National Gallery family,” said the gallery. |
| National Gallery workers, unhappy at the privatisation of some services, gathered outside the gallery on Thursday in protest at moves to hand over some functions to an outside firm. Members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union took industrial action earlier in the year. | National Gallery workers, unhappy at the privatisation of some services, gathered outside the gallery on Thursday in protest at moves to hand over some functions to an outside firm. Members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union took industrial action earlier in the year. |
| Paul Bemrose, the PCS union officer for the National Gallery, acknowledged that all galleries were under financial pressure because of reduced government grants. While the union was willing to work with the management, it opposed compulsory overtime required for corporate and Friday evening events, he said. | Paul Bemrose, the PCS union officer for the National Gallery, acknowledged that all galleries were under financial pressure because of reduced government grants. While the union was willing to work with the management, it opposed compulsory overtime required for corporate and Friday evening events, he said. |
| He accused the gallery of being disingenuous about terms and conditions not changing. | He accused the gallery of being disingenuous about terms and conditions not changing. |
| “They may be the same on day one, but it doesn’t mean they’ll stay the same. If profit margins [for Securitas] are slim the only way for them to increase is to erode staff costs,” he said. | “They may be the same on day one, but it doesn’t mean they’ll stay the same. If profit margins [for Securitas] are slim the only way for them to increase is to erode staff costs,” he said. |
| The sacking of Candy Udwin, a union rep, in May has also soured the atmosphere. She was dismissed, the union said, for breaching confidentiality rules by drafting questions for a colleague to ask the gallery about the cost of using a private firm. | The sacking of Candy Udwin, a union rep, in May has also soured the atmosphere. She was dismissed, the union said, for breaching confidentiality rules by drafting questions for a colleague to ask the gallery about the cost of using a private firm. |
| The National Gallery said the partnering process has been in motion since July 2014, when a timeframe for announcing the preferred partners was agreed. | The National Gallery said the partnering process has been in motion since July 2014, when a timeframe for announcing the preferred partners was agreed. |
| “This was set in place a considerable amount of time before a new director was announced,” the gallery said. | “This was set in place a considerable amount of time before a new director was announced,” the gallery said. |
| Mark Serwotka, the PCS general secretary – who had called for a delay in the privatisation process – said the timing was provocative. | Mark Serwotka, the PCS general secretary – who had called for a delay in the privatisation process – said the timing was provocative. |
| “This is a clearly timed act of provocation, coming as it does just days after PCS appealed to Dr Gabriele Finaldi, the new director, not to lose the chance of a resolution to the dispute over the planned privatisation of these functions,” he said. | “This is a clearly timed act of provocation, coming as it does just days after PCS appealed to Dr Gabriele Finaldi, the new director, not to lose the chance of a resolution to the dispute over the planned privatisation of these functions,” he said. |
| “It is extremely disappointing that while PCS continues to try to reach a negotiated settlement, gallery management has pressed on with privatisation without any further engagement with the union. This is in spite of the fact that the dispute, which has so far included 52 days of strike action and will see further strikes next week, followed by continuous strike action from mid-August, has been extremely disruptive and damaging for the gallery.” | “It is extremely disappointing that while PCS continues to try to reach a negotiated settlement, gallery management has pressed on with privatisation without any further engagement with the union. This is in spite of the fact that the dispute, which has so far included 52 days of strike action and will see further strikes next week, followed by continuous strike action from mid-August, has been extremely disruptive and damaging for the gallery.” |