The National Museum of Australia has been forced to shed jobs to cope with losses brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, although the Museum's director said he remained "cautiously optimistic" these would be fewer than previously thought.
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Museum director Mathew Trinca advised on Friday he expected the institution to lose about 10 to 12 jobs in the current financial year, although these would primarily be via voluntary redundancies.
However, the Community and Public Sector Union provided figures that suggest as many as 30 staff on non-ongoing contracts could be let go once their contracts expire.
Dr Trinca said moves so far to advise contracted staff they may not be extended were to provide them as much opportunity as possible to prepare during the pandemic, which made it difficult to make accurate predictions.
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The exact number of positions to be lost and all decisions moving forward would be significantly influenced by the October 6 federal budget, he said.
Earlier this month Dr Trinca sent an email to Museum staff advising them that due to "an anticipated reduction in Government appropriation" and a COVID-related drop in revenue, jobs would need to be cut.
The email said Dr Trinca, and executives, had met with staff on expiring contracts to advise that at that stage they would not be able to be extended and asked for expressions of interest in voluntary redundancies, transitions to retirement and reduction of hours.
The CPSU said the Museum had advised 37 contracted positions would be reduced to 18 by December, a loss of 19 positions.
A union spokeswoman said after the 10 to 12 voluntary redundancies and those contracts not renewed, if the savings target is not met up to 12 further non-ongoing contracts may not be renewed in 2021.
She said the Museum would not reveal its savings target.
However, in an interview with The Canberra Times, Dr Trinca rejected those figures and said he expected to only lose between 10 and 12 positions. About 20 contracted staff had been contacted to warn them of the financial difficulties impacting on staffing numbers, he said.
"We did think it was prudent to inform some of our contract staff that we might not be in a position to extend their contracts when they come to an end in coming months," Dr Trinca said.
"Half of that was about informing people that if they have a chance to seek ongoing employment rather than non-ongoing employment with us then they should take that opportunity."
Dr Trinca said the Museum had received multiple requests for voluntary redundancies to be considered. The decision was then made to request expressions of interest more broadly to process them as a whole.
Due to the numbers of requested voluntary redundancies, Dr Trinca was pleased that most of the staff on expiring contracts would be able to be extended. Any vacancies within the museum would also look to be filled with contracted staff, he said.
"We know there are very significant job losses happening across the Australian community, and in that context I'm actually gratified to see how hard the senior staff have worked at the Museum to find a way through this," Dr Trinca said.
"Altogether we continue to keep our minds focused on serving the public and looking after our staff as best we can."
CPSU deputy national president Melissa Payne said this was the latest blow to the cultural institution sector which had been starved of funding over the past decade.
"There is no doubt that the pandemic shutdowns and lower revenue have severely impacted the Museum, but it is important that the Museum is transparent about their financial position before cutting jobs," Ms Payne said.
"Our national institutions are struggling to cope under the pressure of years and years of budget cuts."
The CPSU has called on the federal government to exempt cultural institutions from the efficiency dividend and further cuts in this year's budget.
The Museum employs about 250 people and in recent years has actually grown its staff numbers, bucking the trend across cultural institutions in that period.
After having to close its doors for more than two months earlier in the year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Museum, like all the cultural institutions, has experienced a significant drop in revenue.
Dr Trinca said he was heartened that since reopening the Museum had received greater than expected visitors, primarily to its extended Endeavour Voyage exhibition.
"I think it's never been more important to try and maintain the services that we offer the public," he said.
"What I've seen with Endeavour gives me a material demonstration, evidence that people want to come to [cultural institutions] and perhaps need them more than ever."
On Thursday, the Museum announced its largest ever acquisition with $15 million worth of Australian treasures secured from the collection of Trevor Kennedy.
The purchase will be funded from the museum's Collection Development and Acquisitions budget, which can only be spent on acquisitions, over a period of five years.
