MUSEUM staff are set to begin a fresh round of strikes later this month after talks between union officials and management broke down.

They have gone on strike several times this year to protest at plans to scrap premium payment for weekend working, which is said to make up as much as 15 per cent of the take-home pay of front-of-house staff.

The campaign of strikes, which has resulted in the closure of Big Pit in Blaenavon, is set to resume on October 20.

The Public and Commercial Services union said museum bosses had refused any solution to the dispute which would not involve scrapping anti-social hours payments for low-paid staff.

PCS said last week it had put forward an alternative plan that would have delivered the same level of savings, but was told that it had to put the museum's "final offer" to members.

Meanwhile, National Museum Wales said last week they would start “individual consultations” with staff on their original pay offer after union members declined to consider proposed changes to premium payments.

Neil Harrison, PCS branch chair at National Museum Wales, said: "The union has been willing to reach a sensible, negotiated solution throughout this dispute but management seem utterly intransigent.

“They have dismissed our proposals out of hand and have refused further meetings with Acas.

“Our consultation with members has shown that the majority do not consider the museum's proposals acceptable.

"Regrettably, they have left us no option but to take further industrial action.

“We can only hope that they will now reconsider their position, rather than let this dispute needlessly drag on."

A National Museum Wales spokeswoman said last week: “We have been in negotiations with our trade unions and those affected over this matter for nearly two years, and have made a number of changes to improve the offer and to reflect the feedback received.

“Each member of staff affected by our proposed changes to premium payments will now have an opportunity to share their views through the individual consultations.”