Victory at mining museum

The public services union Unison announced that the eight-month-long strike at the National Coal Mining Museum near Wakefield has been brought to an end after workers voted to accept a significantly improved pay offer.

This closes a continuous strike by more than 40 workers, which began on 20 August 2025. It has been the longest strike within the museum sector in UK history.

The settlement delivers a 10.5% pay rise, including a £1.35 per hour increase for mine guides, taking pay from £12.86 to £14.21. This is an above-inflation pay rise, a clear victory for the striking workers that was won through determination, solidarity, and collective action.

This dispute was never just about pay - it was about dignity, respect, and the right of working people to be treated fairly. For over eight months, striking workers stood firm against an employer that chose confrontation over negotiation, issuing regular attacks on its own workforce, making baseless allegations against striking workers, and refusing for months to engage in meaningful talks. At one stage, management even threatened disciplinary action (including potential dismissals) against workers simply for taking part in industrial action.

Sam Greenwood, branch secretary of Wakefield District Unison, told Solidarity: “This is a clear victory for our members who have taken sustained strike action in the face of repeated attacks from the employer. The pay settlement is way above current inflation levels and ensures that all workers will receive a minimum pay rise of £1.35 an hour, and the outrageous threat of disciplinary action has been removed. This pay agreement is not the end of the fight. It is important that we keep organising and building as there is still a long way to go to ensure the scourge of low pay is eradicated at the museum.”

Despite the sustained pressure and hostility, the workers did not break. They stood together, and proved that when workers are organised, they can win. Crucially, they return to work with no disciplinary action hanging over them - a clear defeat for attempts to intimidate the strikers.