BOSSES at the National Gallery announced Securitas as their preferred bidder for outsourcing plans yesterday, brushing off indefinite strike action by gallery workers.

Staff have been locked in a bitter dispute with managers over the privatisation of security and visitor services — accounting for 400 of the 600 jobs at the gallery.

Public-sector union PCS accused bosses of foul play for announcing their contractor while the union was still seeking a better settlement.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “This is a clearly timed act of provocation, coming as it does just days after PCS appealed to Dr Gabriele Finaldi, the new director, not to lose the chance of a resolution to the dispute over the planned privatisation of these functions.

Staff will be on strike next week and an all-out stoppage will take place from mid-August in an attempt to scupper the plans.

Workers have taken 52 days of strike action this year and previous walkouts have forced the closure of large parts of the gallery’s collections.

But outgoing National Gallery director Sir Nicholas Penny said: “The gallery needs an experienced and competent partner to support it now and in the future and we believe that Securitas is the best possible partner for us.

“This is the right decision for all our staff and for the future of our gallery.”

And Securitas managing director Brian Riis Nielsen crowed: “We are delighted that the National Gallery has chosen Securitas as its future partner and are looking forward to developing a strong partnership with both the National Gallery and its staff.”