V&A Staff Plan Two-Day Strike Across All Four London Sites

Staff at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London plan to strike on Thursday 29 and Friday 30 October, unions said this week. The action covers all four of the museum's London sites for the first time, in a dispute over pay, heat and working conditions.

The Victoria and Albert Museum, known as the V&A, is a large museum of art and design in South Kensington. Its London sites are South Kensington, the V&A East Museum, the V&A East Storehouse and the Young V&A. PCS, the Public and Commercial Services union, said its members at the museum would take part in the strikes. ArtNews reported that the unions cite stalled negotiations.

The dispute has been building since the summer. In July, Prospect, a union representing heritage workers, said 83% of its members across the four sites voted for strike action, on an 82% turnout. The Art Newspaper reported those figures. Earlier strikes in September saw South Kensington staff walk out, and the museum said it regretted the vote and was still talking with the unions. In September, the museum also closed three of its London sites ahead of planned strikes, according to ArtNews.

The core pay question is the London Living Wage. This is a rate based on what it costs to live in London, which campaigners estimate at £14.80 an hour. The unions want the V&A to become an accredited London Living Wage employer, meaning it formally commits to paying that rate and meets checks to prove it. The V&A says all of its staff already earn at least that amount, and that accreditation is under review.

On pay, the V&A says it has negotiated in good faith with the unions since February. Its latest offer, the museum says, includes an average pay rise of 4.18%, and 6.9% for the lowest-paid staff. PCS disputes that picture, saying most V&A employees have been offered a base pay rise of only 3.25%. The unions are also asking for a minimum 4% rise for staff already above the living wage, and time-and-a-half pay for work on bank holidays.

Conditions at the V&A East Storehouse, the museum's large collection store, sit at the centre of the row. Storehouse staff voted unanimously in July to strike, saying they were not given enough time to use the toilet or drink water. PCS claims several staff fainted after a ban on carrying sealed water bottles into the storage area, and says the water fountains there are often broken. It also says food and drink were served in the collections hall during private events, and that members found empty beer bottles in the area.

The V&A denies the claims about the Storehouse. It says all staff can get water, use toilets and take regular breaks while at work. Prospect says the museum has not agreed to the union's request for two paid breaks a day. Mike Clancy, Prospect's general secretary, has said V&A Director Tristram Hunt refused to negotiate with the unions. The V&A has not responded to that claim so far.

Heat is another part of the demands. The unions want shade over outdoor spaces, and better cooling in areas behind the scenes, on days when temperatures are forecast to reach 30°C or higher. The Art Newspaper also reported in October that the V&A was planning a voluntary exit scheme, under which staff could leave, after a series of strikes.

The strikes are set for 29 and 30 October. The V&A says it is still in talks with the unions, and the unions say the museum has not met their core demands.