SCOTLAND'S busiest visitor attraction is to be closed from lunchtime today as thousands of striking civil servants stage walkouts across the country in a dispute over pay and pensions.
The National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, which is enjoying one of its busiest weeks of the year thanks to the Easter holidays, will close from 1pm. The National Museum of Flight, at East Fortune airfield in East Lothian, will also shut all day as the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) goes on strike.
Last month it was revealed the museum has received 3.5 million people through its doors over the past year since a £47 million revamp.
The museum said in a tweet: "Just a reminder, due to industrial action the National Museum of Scotland and National War Museum will close at 1pm.
"The National Museum of Flight is closed all day tomorrow; National Museum of Rural Life will remain open. We apologise for any inconvenience."
The half-day dispute involving almost 30,000 PCS members will also affect the Scottish Parliament, the High Court in Scotland, sheriff courts and driving test centres. Other offices affected include the Crown Office, benefits offices, job centres, passport offices, the Forestry Commission and DVLA driving centres.
The Driving Standards Agency said it was doing everything it could to make sure that tests go ahead as planned and urged candidates to arrive for their test as usual. Out-of-pocket expenses will be paid if a test is cancelled.
The strike at the Home Office and UK Border Agency had been rescheduled to Monday after the union said staff had been told they would be docked a full day's pay even if they only walked out for half a day.
PCS members in HM Revenue & Customs will also hold a half-day strike on Monday morning.
However, the strike will not involve workers at Glasgow Life, which runs leisure services and museums such as Kelvingrove. The majority of its employees are members of the GMB and Unison unions.
Picket lines will be set up outside Government offices from lunchtime and a protest will be held at the Cabinet office in Westminster. Around 800 Department for Work and Pensions and passport office workers in Glasgow will rally with PCS president Janice Godrich outside the passport office. Striking workers will also picket the national museum, the Scottish Parliament, and Glasgow Sheriff Court.
The walkout is the latest shot in a three-month campaign over cuts to pay, pensions and conditions which began with a national strike on budget day on March 20.
It is designed to disrupt the start of the new tax year and the introduction of "real time information", whereby employers who operate PAYE are required to notify HMRC immediately every time they pay their staff and make deductions.
The union has asked for talks over cuts to civil service pay, pensions and terms and conditions, but the Government has refused to negotiate.
Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude said the strike was "futile, counterproductive and irresponsible".
He said: "It benefits no-one, but threatens the services people rely on, at a time when we should all be working together to support growth and build the economy."
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