The National Archives (TNA) has warned researchers to expect reduced services on 1 February after staff voted to strike.
In a statement on its website, TNA, which is the official archive body for England and Wales, said: “We will remain open to visitors on this day but expect some of our services to be affected, as follows:
• We will provide a document reading room service, limited to pre-booked advance orders only
• Our walk-in service for ordering documents on the day will be suspended
• Our on site research enquiry services may be affected
• Our café will operate a slightly reduced service
• Our shop and exhibition will remain open.”
The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) Union has called a one-day strike on 1 February of all members in employers where the turnout passed the 50% threshold required by law for a strike in a ballot held last year.
This includes TNA as well as the National Records of Scotland (NRS), the official government records body for Scotland, and the National Library of Wales (NLW), the biggest library and archive in Wales.
The NRS and NLW both told Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine that they plan to run normal services on 1 February.
PCS said that the strike was due to the cost of living crisis and that its demands were for “a 10% pay rise, pensions justice, job security and no cuts in redundancy terms”.
The strike will be coordinated with other strikes and protests taking place across the UK, including a national ‘protect the right to strike’ day in protest at the government’s Strike (Minimum Service Levels) Bill, which will allow employers in some sectors to require staff to meet minimum service levels on strike days.
A PCS spokesperson told Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine: “PCS members are going on strike across the culture sector after a decade of pay freezes, funding cuts and endless precarious work.”
Rosemary Collins is the features editor of Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine