Impending staff cuts at Dulwich Picture Gallery

[Robert Poste's Child]

Worth keeping things in perspective, certainly. The one about overtime at short notice cutting into planned leisure activities did it for me. Hello...

[StraferJack]

Mrben and RPC

Am I right in thinking neither of you is on a zero hour contract?

Seems a bit punch downy to have a go at low paid workers like that.

None of us on here "work down the mines". Doesn't stop us complaining about a whole host of stuff.

[MrBen]

Perhaps. But I'll save my voice to fight the erosion of employee rights when it's at the hands of rampant capitalism, lousy fiscal policy or for shareholder return. I don't see any evidence if that here. Dulwich gallery is non essential oublic service run on a not for profit basis for the benefit of the people. All I see so far is an operation having to implement a basic restructure in order to pay it's bills.

If it was essential public services, nurses, firemen whatever perhaps I'd feel differently about it...

[StraferJack]

But it's no world I want to live in that doesn't have places like DPG

Talking about essential public services in this context is just distraction. This small organisation is undertaking a necessary restructure. So who is taking the haircut? Is it just the plebs at the bottom?

Regardless of the nature of the organisation, that appears to be the nub of the problem and is pervasive across all of society

[Robert Poste's Child]

Don't know if you've read the statements from the DPG, SJ, but I understood they're trying to take people OFF zero hours contracts and pay the LLW. It certainly wasn't my intention to mock anyone on low wages, more that the choice I usually have is work long hours or no work at all.

[StraferJack]

of for sure RPC - I did read it and liked what I read, and have also said on this thread I'm not one to go off signing petitions on some unknown say so

That said, others involved have posted since and I'm trying to asess where the truth actually is - at face value, the DPG statement gives no need for anyone to worry, but that's clearly not working

Also, it's when people started to say "ah hush, even if you have to do overtime and your conditions/wages are being reduced, stop complaining" (I paraphrase) that I posted this morning

TLDR - if DPG telling whole story, sounds like everyone's a winner. But are they?

[Robert Poste's Child]

Agreed - although I support their right to protest, while the consultation is going on the DPG isn't allowed to give full details so we're not in a position to judge. For what it's worth, it looks to me like some employees will be better off, but I sympathise with those who are feeling more vulnerable right now.

[StraferJack]

"For what it's worth, it looks to me like some employees will be better off,"

Isn't that the crux of labour management tho? It's behind the bus strike today - by fracturing the service, you create haves and have nots you can play off against each other

If people are doing the same job, then any reason for disparity in pay should be reasons like length of service or maybe performance*, rather than "we created 5 bus companies and your one doesn't pay as much as the other, sorry"

* although with bus drivers, any underperformers I don't want driving any bus!

[Robert Poste's Child]

Again with the caveat that we don't know the full story, there seem to be differences in the existing set-up that they're trying to equalise, so that doesn't seem to work either.

[StraferJack]

"Again with the caveat that we don't know the full story"

good point well made

[MrBen]

Won't somebody think of the paintings?

[Robert Poste's Child]

Today I saw a flyer for a protest that was due to be held outside the gallery yesterday. Did anyone see it? I was surprised to see it was worded in a way that sounded like the action was being led by demand from the public, I have to say.

[StraferJack]

Plenty of support from Brixton and DHFC fans

http://www.brixtonbuzz.com/2015/02/dulwich-hamlet-and-and-ritzy-workers-unite-to-support-dulwich-picture-gallery-staff/