Tour guides at Shakespeare's Globe in London are to take industrial action after talks to resolve a pay dispute broke down.
A representative of the union BECTU (the media and entertainment union) said industrial action was "the only option left open" and that strike dates would be publicised to avoid inconveniencing visitors.
A Shakespeare's Globe spokeswoman told the paper the venue had "made all reasonable efforts to avert industrial action", but according to the theatrical industry newspaper The Stage, 38 tour guides at the venue are Bectu members. If all were to strike then this may affect schools whoa re visiting the venue for backstage tours. Handsam Ltd urges schools to contact the venue to discuss their booking if one is due in the next few weeks.
According to The Stage, tour guides had been seeking a pay increase that would have raised their hourly rate from £11.24 to £13.50 an hour. The two parties met at ACAS (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) earlier this month, but were unable to reach agreement.
"We had hoped that management would take seriously the opportunity we offered to them to avoid conflict," said BECTU's Pat Styles. "Unfortunately, management representatives failed to grasp this opportunity, preferring instead to first offer our members what was effectively an insulting cut in pay and then refusing to accept various solutions we offered to them."
"The Globe maintains that a benchmarking exercise is the only viable means of establishing an appropriate rate of pay for guides that is consistent with our organisational policy to pay at industry median levels," the popular tourist attraction's spokeswoman told The Stage. "We are still open to further consultation... and will in any case be undertaking a salary benchmarking exercise for all Globe staff, including the guides, over the summer as originally planned."
The Globe's representative is quoted as saying that audio guides will be made available on days when there is a strike. Schools who have made bookings are urged to contact the Globe and arrange for refunds or to defer bookings if you are unhappy with this option.
The news follows an announcement in late April 2015 that workers at the Royal Opera House in London are to vote on whether to take strike action over pay. Handsam SchoolTripsAdvisor will keep you up to date with all such issues as they progress.
