by Lamiat Sabin

FRESH strikes by National Gallery staff are planned from next week after one of their senior union representatives was sacked from her job yesterday afternoon.

Member of the Civil Service union PCS Candy Udwin was dismissed for allegedly “breaching commercial confidentiality” after leading a campaign against the privatisation of one of the country’s most treasured fine art venues.

Senior managers want to sell off visitor services to privateers amid government funding cuts, including 400 jobs of assistants, guides and security staff.

Plans to hold more events to entertain corporate fat cats in the taxpayer-funded institution are also in the pipeline, at the expense of the public.

The schemes are strongly opposed by campaigners and famous artists, including Grayson Perry and Ryan Gander.

The National Gallery is also the only large cultural venue in London to not pay the living wage of £9.15 per hour.

Unionised workers at the museum are set to strike for 11 more days on May 20, and from May 26 to June 4.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka slammed the decision to remove Ms Udwin from her art handling administrative role as “utterly disgraceful.”

She was suspended in February on the eve of the first five days of strike action.

Almost 10,000 people have petitioned for Ms Udwin to be reinstated.

Mr Serwotka added: “It has been clear from the start that victimising Candy has been a direct attack on our union.

“It is absolutely shocking to think that one of this country’s finest cultural institutions could act in such a way.”

A total of 23 days of industrial action have already been taken, with the last protest merging with the May Day rally earlier this month.

It saw huge crowds congregate in Trafalgar Square, directly in front of the gallery, to mark International Workers’ Day.

Another protest is planned for the square on May 30 at 1pm, with guest speakers including renowned filmmaker Ken Loach — who previously showed solidarity with the art venue workers by joining them on the picket line.