03.11.2025 / News / Natural History, Science and V&A Museums / Science and V&A Museums / V&A Museum

Historic Victory for Science Museum Security Guards Museum

“We’re so pleased we we’ve now won recognition – the first in the museum’s history for security guards. For us, it is more than clear that the only union for us is United Voices of the World.”
Catherine Campbell, Science Museum security guard of 14 years and UVW member

After a long and tough fight, security guards at London’s world-renowned Science Museum have officially won union recognition through the government’s Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) — a landmark victory for workers’ rights in one of the UK’s most prestigious cultural institutions.

Recognition is a crucial step for guards, members of UVW, to secure a voice at work. This win follows a historic dispute that included over 50 days of strike action in 2024-2025, resulting in significant pay increases of 13%–23%.

“We won by organising one conversation at a time, standing strong and together on the picket lines through rain, wind and cold and with a great deal of solidarity and unity”, said Catherine Campbell, a security guard with 14 years of service at the Science Museum, who is also a UVW member.

For years, Science Museum bosses ignored their guards. Now, they are legally required to negotiate with UVW workplace representatives over pay, hours, holidays, and working conditions.

“We’re so pleased we we’ve now won recognition – the first in the museum’s history for security guards. For us, it is more than clear that the only union for us is United Voices of the World,” Catherine added.

Requests for statutory recognition to the CAC are made when employers refuse voluntary recognition, and are granted upon proof of majority membership in the bargaining unit, which here comprises the museum’s security guards (excluding managers).

In a sector marked by high turnover, precarious contracts, low pay, long hours, and poor conditions, this win is more than a legal formality. UVW members now have a seat at the table and a collective voice in shaping their working lives.

This victory is a testament to the unity, determination, and courage of the Science Museum security team — and a message to workers across the UK: when we stand together and refuse to back down, we win.

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