Help save DPG staff from redundancies

[Hollymendel]

Statement from gallery assistants at the Dulwich Picture Gallery (DPG), members of the Unite union.

Senior Management at Dulwich Picture Gallery propose to make over half of the current visitor services team redundant, as part of the gallery?s cost-cutting programme.19 members of the front-of-house team will face redundancy. Those retaining their jobs will be asked to sign new annualised hours contracts which will force them to work any hours stipulated by management without over-time rates. The expected impact will be a lower annual income for visitor services staff.

The proposal also suggests that apprentices and casual staff will be introduced in favour of existing staff members. These new recruits, some of which will be on lower wages and could earn as little as ?2.73/h, will be obliged to take shifts on demand and will not be entitled to the same employment benefits as their colleagues on the new annualised hours contracts.

Management have acted without warning and are withholding key information in an attempt to force these changes through before staff can respond.

Dulwich Picture Gallery houses one of the most influential collections of old master paintings in the UK, it prides itself on being an organisation which values its staff and their commitment to delivering a superlative visitor experience. The proposed redundancies will have a dramatic impact on the quality of service the institution aims to deliver, and will result in a significant loss of expertise, dedication and experience which its long-standing front-of-house team provides.

The DPG Gallery Assistants condemn the cuts saying:

?We love working at the gallery, we love the paintings and we love our visitors. We work hard to bring you the superlative customer service that makes our gallery so unique. We believe the proposed redundancies are unjustified and unfair, and that they will ultimately jeopardise and damage the relationship we have developed with our customers throughout the years. We are united in our intention to fight the proposed cuts and ask for your support and solidarity?

HELP US Protect Dulwich Picture Gallery!

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