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20.11.2024 / News / Natural History and Science Museums

She asked for a chair three years ago… and she’s still waiting. A disabled Science Museum guard sues her employer for discrimination

“I’m really happy we all joined the union and are fighting for our rights. My fight through the courts and our strike at the Science and Natural History for better pay and conditions are intimately connected, because no one should be discriminated against or treated poorly at work. We deserve dignity and respect in our workplace.”

Malina Nowicka, disabled security guard at Science Museum and UVW member

Malina is a disabled cancer survivor with a fainting condition who works at the Science Museum as a security guard. She asked for a chair at work to help her avoid fainting, but her requests were ignored for years. On five occasions, an ambulance had to be called to the museum due to her condition, yet no action was taken to alleviate her situation. Now she is taking the Science Museum and security contractor Wilson James to court.

Malina Nowicka – a UVW member and security guard – suffers from a condition called vasovagal syncope which can lead to fainting when the nervous system malfunctions in response to a trigger. After undergoing surgery in 2013 to remove a kidney, Malina – who is 34 years old now  – – was left with long-term health issues, including reduced immunity, frequent urinary tract infections (UTIs), and chronic back pain.

Despite these challenges, she continued working but required reasonable adjustments, such as a chair with a back and arm rests and relocation away from cold exit doors, which worsened her UTI symptoms. An occupational health report classified her as disabled and recommended these adjustments. This was supported with the diagnosis from her own GP.

Malina claims that providing her with a chair or relocating her away from cold exit doors would have mitigated the impact of her conditions and the refusal to implement these changes constituted unlawful disability discrimination under the Equality Act 2010. 

The medical advice seemed to fall on deaf ears. Wilson James consistently refused her requests, citing the Science Museum’s policy against security guards sitting while on duty in the galleries. This forced her to endure hours of standing, leading to frequent fainting episodes. “Wilson James didn’t seem to believe me. They seemed to think I was faking it. I have also asked for the first aid reports, collected by the Science Museum on every occasion I fainted, but they weren’t produced. You go to work everyday, and you know you are going to be sick and nothing’s going to be done. I asked them to transfer me to another job closer to home but they didn’t.”

Wilson James appears to prioritise aesthetics and profit over the safety of their workers. No wonder Wlson James raked in over £16 million in a few years while paying pitiful salaries to its security guards and treating its workforce poorly! Meanwhile, the Science Museum hides behind outsourcing to shirk responsibility, despite making millions. 

The constant strain on Malina’s health has taken a severe toll on her mental well-being. She was temporarily signed off work with depression, as she remained in remission from kidney cancer, but has recently gone back to work as she could not survive on the meagre statutory sick pay of £109.40 per week. Malina lives alone. 

“I’ve been called into several meetings since this all started. I attended them accompanied by my union reps as I’ve been a member of UVW since 2019. I felt they were trying to frighten me, I felt they were intimidating me and that I may lose my job. I felt like I was being disciplined for being unwell.”

By bringing her case to the Employment Tribunal, she is fighting not only for her own justice but for the rights of discriminated workers everywhere. UVW remains committed to supporting her and ensuring that no disabled worker has to endure the same mistreatment in the future.

“I’m doing this to have my day in court. For them to see how badly they treated  me,” she told us. “I don’t know if anything is going to change –  but I’m very proud. I’m doing it for me, for anyone with disabilities and my colleagues as well. Whatever you are – whatever  race, religion or disability etc  – nobody should be discriminated against at work.  I’m happy to go to court whatever the result.”

Her fight for justice happens as the UVW security guards strike at the Natural History and Science Museums. Malina and her colleagues are demanding dignity and respect at work – basic rights that are too often denied in the name of profit and convenience. These strikes, driven by mostly migrant workers, are about more than pay and conditions; they are about securing fundamental respect for all workers, including those with disabilities. Together, they are sending a powerful message: no one should be treated as disposable.

“All workers should join the union and speak up about their issues. We should never be frightened to fight or speak up. We should never be quiet”, Malina says. 

Stand in solidarity with Malina and her fellow workers. Donate to their strike fund, join them on the picket line, write to your MP, and demand accountability from Wilson James and the Science Museum.

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