A row has erupted between a group of Tolpuddle Martyr tour guides after one of them broke their ongoing strike over pay.

Just like the famous workers who inspired the trade union movement 175 years ago, the official Blue Badge guides have taken industrial action over their ‘paltry pay’.

Eleven of the 12 guides are refusing to show tourists around the famous Old Crown Court where the martyrs were tried until the local council opens negotiations over their wages.

They are paid £26 a day but are demanding £50 – still £25 below the industry recommended rate of £75.

But they claim their strike is being undermined by colleague Christine McGee, who is continuing the tours around the historic building in Dorchester.

West Dorset District Council has also recruited another Blue Badge guide from outside the region to enable a limited number of tours to go ahead during the summer holidays.

Guide leader Alistair Chisholm said: “We have pointed out to Christine that she is undermining our protest.

“She is the only one out of the 12 of us who is prepared to work for this miserly rate.

“The story of the Tolpuddle Martyrs is all about solidarity and sticking together to get a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work.

“Christine is ignoring the same principles that these men fought for years ago.

“We are not a radical bunch. We are loath to take direct action but what they are offering is well below the value for that which we offer.”

Guide Derek Pride, a 69-year-old retired civil servant, said: “I am very disappointed not to be doing it this year because I enjoy doing it but it is a point of principle over the money. There has been no attempt by the council to negotiate with us. We aren’t prepared to do it for £30.”

Mrs McGee said she is more than happy to fulfill her contract with West Dorset District Council.

She said: “I find this extremely boring and I have no wish to discuss it.

“I have a contract with West Dorset District Council and I am quite happy to fulfill it.

“It is up to the other guides to decide what they want to do. We are all individuals. I have no intention of turning down the council's offer.”

The Blue Badge guides are meant to lead two 45-minute tours of the Old Crown Court a day.

The tours are normally available every weekday between mid-July and mid-September but due to the industrial action they will only take place throughout August.

The 11 guides are following in the footsteps of the Tolpuddle Martyrs from 176 years ago by refusing to work until their pay improves. The martyrs were a group of six agricultural labourers from the village of Tolpuddle who founded the very first trade union movement in protest at the lowering of their wages.

They were convicted of swearing a secret oath and transported to Australia for seven years.

A spokesman for West Dorset District Council confirmed the tours of the Old Crown Court would not run for as long as they normally would.

Nick Thornley, the council’s community enabling manager, said: “We ask local tour guides to perform the supervisory function for us. At the same time they are able to pass on information about the Old Crown Court to improve the visitor experience.

“Last year the guides were paid £26.65 plus travelling expenses.

“At the request of some of the guides, we have increased this fee to £30. This represents an increase in pay of almost 13 per cent.”

n newsdesk@dorsetecho.co.uk