V&A Museum Staff Suspend Strike After Improved Pay Offer
Victoria and Albert Museum staff suspended planned strikes for October 29 and 30 following an improved pay offer from museum management.
Staff at the Victoria and Albert Museum suspended a planned strike scheduled for October 29 and 30 after management presented an improved pay offer. Members of the Prospect and Public and Commercial Services unions had previously voted to strike over pay and working conditions, specifically citing inadequate hydration and toilet breaks.
The museum's latest proposal includes an average pay rise of 4.18%, a 6.9% increase for the lowest-paid staff, and an increase in bank holiday pay to 1.5. In response, unions are seeking a 4% increase for employees above the living wage and a commitment for the museum to become an accredited London living-wage employer within 12 months.
The suspension of the strike prevents the closure of the V&A's main galleries in south Kensington, V&A East, V&A Storehouse, and Young V&A. The pause allows for last-minute negotiations facilitated by the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service. While union leadership expressed a willingness to enter talks in good faith, some officials criticized the museum director for his absence from the negotiations.
