Union protests as staff are denied rise and properties are sold off
By Rachelle Money

Management of the troubled National Trust for Scotland have been warned by their employees' trade union that a "riot" is brewing after they awarded themselves massive pay rises and refused an increase to lower-paid staff.

The NTS has slashed investment in conservation by more than £1 million, sold off a number of their properties and refused the staff pay increase in a bid to restore the organisation's troubled finances - but their leadership team were awarded big pay increases.

Alan Denney, national secretary for Prospect trade union which represents 400 of the 500 full-time permanent staff members, accused the management team of "feathering their own nests".

Scotland's leading conservation charity's financial statements reveal that in 2006 only one employee received a salary of more than £60,000 but today there are nine such employees. Despite staff levels dropping following redundancies last year, the total amount spent on salaries and wages rose by £1m to £15.7m, which is 41% of the Trust's annual outgoings. Over the same period, total spending on conservation improvement and repairs fell by £1.1m to £6.1m, however, the NTS insisted spending was consistent with the previous year.

Employees of the NTS, who on average earn £23,000, are angry they were refused an inflation-level pay rise earlier this year. Chief executive Mark Adderley received the highest salary of between £170,000 and £179,999, plus £12,978 in pension contributions - a rise of approximately £50,000.

Adderley was hired by NTS in February 2007 to help restructure the publicly funded organisation. During the restructuring programme last year 29 staff members left. Denney said staff did not receive a rise of inflation on their wage and that pay scales had not changed in three years. He added: "Usually at the end of every year workers receive a 5% increase as well as the rate of inflation.

"What happened this year is we accepted a reduction in sick pay and a reduction in benefit to surviviors if you die. So of the 5% increase that my members had, management funded 3% and members traded 2% of their own money." Denney said a "riot was brewing" at the organisation. "Things felt like they were settling but in the last few weeks as this was emerging, people have been outraged by it."

NTS have been forced to sell four of their 129 properties with plans to sell another in Inverness. The NTS said these properties are not open to the public and have "no heritage or conservation value". Financial statements released by the organisation showed their funds dropped £12m in value while their membership income rose 13% to £9.5m.

Green MSP Patrick Harvie hit out at the National Trust: "When members of conservation charities see more of their money going to senior staff and less on actual conservation, they are right to be seriously concerned."

An NTS spokeswoman responded: "In 2007, as part of the Three Year Plan, the Trust identified key areas of expertise which were not available at that time at senior level and created new posts as part of a refreshed leadership team with greater responsibilites. These posts were integral to the future delivery of that plan and the longer term success and stability of the Trust.

"Appointments were made to each of these new roles, including the introduction of three new members of staff. All salaries associated with these new posts were assessed and benchmarked by external specialist consultants."