London’s Science Museum is closed today (16 February) as workers strike in protest over pay.

Staff at the National Railway Museum in York and the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television in Bradford are also taking industrial action, but the museums remain open.

The strike was timed to coincide with the school half-term holidays this week and was called in response to a 2.5 per cent pay increase offer.

Those staff on strike are members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) and its sister union, Prospect.

A statement on the PCS website said: “The dispute follows a pay offer that for many falls below the rising cost of living as well as the failure by management to implement agreed improvements to the pay and grading structure.

“The dispute also comes against a background crisis in funding as the government fail to plug the gap in income lost through the introduction of free admission.”

Catherine Craig, PCS negotiations officer for the National Museum of Science and Industry (NMSI), said: The inconvenience caused to the public today is regrettable but staff are fed up of being caught in the middle of a funding squeeze which neither the NMSI or the Department for Culture, Media and Sport will take responsibility for."

The Science Museum will be open as normal from tomorrow.