Ulster Folk Museum closing on 'busiest day of year' - St Patrick's Day - due to strike action by NIPSA members

National Museums Northern Ireland (NMNI) NIPSA members are striking after a recent ballot across NI saw 94% support for industrial action.

NIPSA represents approximately 15,600 non-industrial union members in all grades across all Stormont Departments and also a number of arm's length bodies.

Carmel Gates, General Secretary of the NI Public Sector Alliance union, told the News Letter previously that St Patrick's Day would normally give the museum "record bookings each year on that date".

Today NIPSA Official, Ryan Wilson, confirmed that the members are protesting against the "insulting" pay offer they have received, which he said “angered them so greatly that they demanded to be part of the targeted NIPSA action”.

“Museum staff are part of the wider NI Civil Service family who have been offered a meagre £552 increase," he said.

"Yet they witness MPs' wages being increased by thousands of pounds. It leaves them feeling further undervalued and treated with contempt.

He added: "Our members have had enough of being paid poorly, and this pay offer is an insult to their hard work and dedication. With the cost of living crisis and inflation in double digits, our members are struggling to make ends meet.

The museum has informed staff that it won't be able to open this Friday due to the proposed strike action by our members.”

NIPSA’s General Secretary, Carmel Gates, has called on the Secretary of State to meet with the union to discuss her members' concerns. Despite two requests for a meeting, nothing has been forthcoming, she said.

A spokesperson for National Museums NI responded: “We understand that some staff will participate in NIPSA’s coordinated strike action on Friday, March 17th as part of ongoing action in relation to the Northern Ireland Civil Service Pay Dispute.

"As a result, Ulster Folk Museum will be closed to the public, and the St Patrick’s Day event that was due to take place will no longer be going ahead. Ulster Transport Museum, Ulster Museum and Ulster American Folk Park will not be affected and all of our sites will be open as normal on March 18th.”

A Northern Ireland Office spokesperson said: "The pressures affecting Northern Ireland's public services demonstrate the pressing need to have locally accountable political leaders in place to take fundamental decisions on these services and deliver better outcomes for the people of Northern Ireland.

"It remains the Secretary of State's hope that the parties will recognise the importance of getting back to work so that an Executive is in place to take the decisions and action needed to address the challenges facing the public sector at this critical time."