Members end industrial action campaign at Tate following improved offer

Of the 105 members present at yesterday’s meeting, a clear majority supported the Branch Executive Committee’s recommendation to cancel the planned strike action and bring the active industrial campaign to an end, on the basis that the revised offer represents a significant improvement on the original proposal and the best outcome the union can expect to achieve in the circumstances.

The revised offer includes an additional 0.6% consolidated increase, taking the total award to 3.6%. However, this element of the increase will not be backdated and will therefore only be paid for February and March of this financial year.

In response to members’ concerns about this, Tate has committed to seek to match inflation in the next pay award and has stated that it will endeavour, as part of the 2026/27 pay talks, to restore the value of the 0.6% for the remaining ten months that were not covered this year.

While the consolidated pay offer still falls short of what staff deserve, it represents a 50% to 80% improvement on Tate’s original proposal.

The agreement to end the active campaign of industrial action has also secured historic gains for members, including the return of subsidised hot meals in Tate canteens, which were removed last year and replaced with vending machines consisting of rotten sandwiches, further diminishing staff’s moral and day-day wellbeing. 

Members have further won an agreement to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement, with a clear commitment to expand the range of issues subject to negotiation, strengthening staff voice and workplace protections into the future.

Alongside these gains, the deal secured improvements to workplace conditions, including:

• increased to holiday carry-over procedures
• consultation over exhibition scheduling and installation/deinstallation
• negotiation on the implementation of the PCS Culture Group Seating Charter

Tate has confirmed that the offer will now be implemented in full as soon as possible.

The dispute followed seven days of strike action in November, with staff raising concerns about rising workloads, growing pressure, and the toll of the cost-of-living crisis on pay and wellbeing. PCS had made clear that further industrial action would take place unless progress was made.

PCS General Secretary Fran Heathcote said:

“Our members were prepared to take further strike action, and that pressure forced the employer to come back with a far stronger offer than was originally on the table.

“Crucially, this dispute has delivered major, tangible wins for our members, including the return of subsidised hot meals in Tate canteens, something that was wrongly taken away last year and had a real impact on staff wellbeing. Restoring this provision is a significant victory for our members and for basic workplace dignity.

“No deal is perfect, but PCS will hold Tate to every commitment made and continue pushing for further improvements in future pay talks.”

These developments resulted in membership growing rapidly across all pay bands, more than 200 members joining picket lines, and an 80% turnout in last year’s strike ballot.