THE NATIONAL Museum of Ireland is to contact the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) tomorrow in an attempt to find an early resolution to a rostering dispute that prevented two of its Dublin branches from opening yesterday.
The Collins Barracks and Kildare Street museums, which usually open from 2pm to 5pm on Sunday, and require 18 and six staff respectively, remained closed yesterday on what is traditionally one of their busiest days of the year. Management said no staff had signed up to work yesterday.
The Civil and Public Services Union (CPSU), which represents employees on the science and art attendants’ grade, said its members were available to work.
Under a CPSU arrangements staff can work on a Sunday if they wish, with no requirement for them to meet the particular number of employees necessary for the museum to operate.
However, museum management has attempted to alter the arrangement by introducing a roster following inconsistent appearances on Sundays.
Séamus Lynam, the National Museum’s director of public services, said that until recently the Sunday arrangements had been on an ad hoc basis and staff could work as they pleased.
“The difficulty was that at times not enough of the required staff would put their names down or sometimes 25 would put their names down and would come in and expect to be paid.”
Mr Lynam said the museum was in contact with the CPSU on Friday, but that an offer to increase the Sunday numbers to seven at Kildare Street and 20 at Collins Barracks was rejected.
“We will contact the LRC on Tuesday to press for an early date as we want this matter resolved as soon as possible.”
Around a dozen CPSU members gathered outside the Kildare Street museum yesterday to say they were available to work.
A statement from the CPSU distributed by the staff said: “Management’s action in closing the museum is both unwarranted and unnecessary, and our members remain available to provide this service to the public.”
