Staff at National Trust sites across Suffolk at risk as 'redundancy looms'
The trust is beginning a 45-day consultation period with its staff nationally with 600 jobs at risk. It is hoping to save £26 million.
Its proposals will lead to an estimated 6% reduction in jobs, and with the trust employing more than 11,000 people, that means around 700 people could be affected.
The trust has ten sites across Suffolk. (Image: Lucy Taylor) List of National Trust sites across Suffolk:
Flatford Mill
Pin Mill
Melford Hall
Lavenham Guildhall
Ickworth Estate
Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds
Kyson Hill
Sutton Hoo
Orford Ness National Nature Reserve
Dunwich Heath and Beach
Steve Thomas, deputy general secretary of Prospect Union, said: "At a time when Prospect members at the National Trust are hard at work welcoming the public to Britain's historic venues over the busy summer months, this news will cause huge uncertainty and worry for staff.
'We understand the cost pressures the trust is facing but management decisions, as well as external factors, have contributed to the financial situation and once again it is our members who will have to pay the price.
'Our members are custodians of the country's cultural, historic and natural heritage - cuts of this scale risk losing institutional knowledge and skills which are vital to that mission.
'Prospect will be working with NT to try to minimise the negative impact of these cuts on both workers and on the operation of the trust.'
A spokesperson for the National Trust said: "Pay is the biggest part of our costs, and the recent employer's National Insurance increase and National Living Wage rise added more than £10m to our annual wage bill."
As the consultation is only just beginning the trust is not able to share what the impact may be on specific regions or properties.
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