MUSEUM workers in Glasgow are set to begin a fortnight of protests this week in a fight against job cuts, public-sector union Unison said today.

Glasgow Life Museums, which plans to cut 37 jobs from its museums and collections department in an effort to pug a £1.5 million hole in its finances, argues that half the proposed job cuts are unfilled posts, and says it will work with the union to deal with the remainder.

Many of the affected jobs go largely unseen by the public, but Unison argues that the loss of curators, conservators, technicians, outreach personnel and learning assistants risks undermining visitors’ experience and will leave exhibition spaces empty and “stagnant.”

Unsion has challenged councillors at Glasgow City Council, which has a long-standing no compulsory redundancies policy, to reverse cuts to Glasgow Life.

The charity, which provides culture and sport services in the city, is wholly owned by the authority.

A spokesperson for Unison’s City of Glasgow branch said: “Unison demands Glasgow councillors stand up for our museums, not pass on the funding attacks from the Scottish and UK governments.

“We call on Glasgow City councillors to reverse these devastating cuts to our museums and collections.

“Our museums and collections are world renowned and internationally lauded. They need to be protected and cherished.”

A Glasgow Life spokesperson said: “The savings Glasgow Life is making this year add up to around 9 per cent of the annual service fee the charity receives from Glasgow City Council and will ensure we will not have to close any venues.

“More than half of the posts affected by these savings measures are currently vacant.

“We are currently working closely with staff and unions to work through what this will mean for individual members of staff.

“Wherever possible, we have identified ways of making savings by reducing, rather than losing, Glasgow Life services, programmes and events, retaining the potential to rebuild them in the future.”

A Scottish government spokesperson said: “The Scottish government has increased the resources available to local government in 2023-24 by more than £793m, a real-terms increase of £376m — 3 per cent — compared with the 2022-23 budget figures.”

Unison’s protests are set to begin at the Burrell Collection in the city’s Pollok Park at noon on Saturday July 29, moving to the Gallery of Modern Art in Queen Street on August 5 the following week.