V&A Museum Staff Vote to Strike Over Working Conditions

Staff at the Victoria and Albert Museum voted for industrial action across its four London sites, including the South Kensington, V&A East Museum, Young V&A, and the new V&A East Storehouse. In a ballot organized by the trade union Prospect, 83 percent of members across all sites supported the move, while 100 percent of voting members at the V&A East Storehouse backed the strike.

The dispute centers on pay and welfare. Prospect is demanding a minimum 4 percent pay increase for staff earning above the living wage, bank holiday time-and-a-half pay, and London Living Wage accreditation within 12 months. Specifically at the Storehouse, the union is demanding two paid breaks per day for collections access officers, alleging that workers face Amazon-style conditions where they are denied sufficient time for hydration and restroom breaks.

The museum administration has rejected these characterizations, stating that all staff have access to water, toilets, and regular breaks. Officials noted that food and drink are prohibited in storage areas to protect national collections. To resolve the dispute, the museum has offered a minimum above-inflation pay award, including a 6.9 percent increase for the lowest-paid employees.

Parallel to the Prospect ballot, the Public and Commercial Services Union opened a separate strike ballot for over 300 members. This second action cites insufficient pay and health and safety concerns regarding heatwaves.