Tower of London Beefeaters to strike for first time in 55 years
Jewel house wardens and staff at some of the UK’s historic royal palaces are to stage walk-outs after being told they will be moved from final salary pensions to what their union described as an ‘inferior’ model.
They will also picket at Tower of London and Hampton Court Palace, two of London’s key tourist sites, on January 8.
About 120 staff are involved in the dispute, according to the GMB union.
Chief executive of Historic Royal Palaces John Barnes said no sites would close as a result of the industrial action.
Three-hour walkouts will take place at Kensington Palace from 11.30am on Friday December 28 and January 2 by members of the Public and Commercial Services Union. A separate strike by GMB workers will take place on January 8.
Barnes told the BBC: "We have already offered substantial compensation and transition arrangements to the 11% of our staff who are affected.
"The benefits they have already accrued will be fully protected, and they will be transferred onto the same competitive defined contribution scheme as the other 89% of their colleagues in April 2019."
The GMB said 88% of its members took part in the strike ballot, 91% of whom voted for industrial action.
Michael Ainsley, GMB regional organiser, said: "Historic Royal Palaces are jumping on a bandwagon which is seeing employers engaging in a race to the bottom, ending good final salary schemes and replacing them with risky cheaper defined contribution schemes.
"GMB members still at this late stage are willing to talk to Historic Royal Palaces but the silence is deafening."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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