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18.11.2024 / News / Natural History and Science Museums

V&A Museum security guards join the fight for fair pay!

“We’ve been let down by Wilson James and we’ve been let down by the V&A. We work in the same building, for the same corporation as the directly employed staff, everyone should be paid and treated fairly. Cleaners get more than we do and they deserve to, they work hard as we do. But this shows how we are unappreciated.” Edi Palale, V&A Duty Shift Manager of 15 years

The security guards at the Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum have joined the fight for £16 per hour and improved working conditions in the security sector. They will be balloted for strike to strike between 22 November and 6 December in what is a first for the museum’s guards. 

The guards, members of United Voices of the World (UVW), at all three of the world-renowned South Kensington-based museums, V&A, Science and Natural History Museum guards are now in dispute with outsourced contractor for security, Wilson James. The V&A vote follows the strike ballot at the other two world-renowned South Kensington-based museums, which saw a 96% yes vote out of a 95% turnout.

Edi Palale, V&A duty shift manager of 15 years said “We’ve been let down by Wilson James and we’ve been let down by the V&A. We work in the same building, for the same corporation as the directly employed staff, everyone should be paid and treated fairly. Cleaners get more than we do and they deserve to, they work hard as we do. But this shows how we are unappreciated.”

This fight isn’t just about pay; it’s about respect, dignity, and fairness for workers who play an indispensable role in the daily operations of these globally renowned institutions. While Wilson James has seen its profits double to over £7.6 million annually between 2019 and 2021, the guards have endured six years of frozen wages and a mere 1.2% pay rise during the same period.

The dispute has already seen Science and Natural History Museum guards take strike action across six days. An additional 15 days of strike action are planned for November and December, including a critical seven-day walkout in the lead-up to Christmas.

The V&A guards joining UVW marks a significant escalation in the dispute. Following an all-members meeting, UVW formally notified Wilson James, at all three museums, that V&A guards are preparing to join the action should their reasonable demands be ignored. 

Despite their reasonable demands, Wilson James has refused to negotiate, perpetuating a two-tier system in which guards, many who are Black, brown and migrant, are left struggling with stagnant wages and limited protections. This is unfair on the guards, particularly those who have served the museums for decades. 

The pressure is mounting with museum visitors, workers, Members of Parliament and activists demanding fair treatment for those who protect our shared cultural heritage.

The security guards deserve fair pay!

Write to Wilson James and the museums, calling for immediate action to meet the guards’ demands and avert further strike action >>

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