19.11.2024 / Press releases / Natural History and Science Museums

Victoria and Albert Museum security guards begin ballot to strike, join forces with Science and Natural History colleagues in fight for fair pay

Victoria and Albert Museum security guards begin ballot to strike, join forces with Science and Natural History colleagues in fight for fair pay

• Security guards at the Victoria and Albert (V&A) museum will begin their first ever vote to strike on Friday 22 November, demanding £16 an hour, sick pay from day one and an extra weeks’ annual leave

• The V&A guards, who are all members of United Voices of the World (UVW) union, are joining their colleagues at the Natural History and Science Museums in a significant escalation of the dispute with outsourced contractor for security, Wilson James (WJ)

• The guards have endured years of stagnated pay and erosion of living conditions whilst their employer and the museums raked millions in profits annually
   
• 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 and a return to the picket line on Saturday 23 November

The V&A security guards have joined the fight for £16 an hour, full sick pay from day one, and an additional week of annual leave, and will vote to strike between 22 November and 6 December in what is a first for the museum’s guards. 

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. 

As their colleagues at the Science and Natural History museums, the V&A guards are also outsourced to security contractor Wilson James (WJ). While their employer has seen its profits double to over £7.6 million annually between 2019 and 2021, the guards got a 1.2% pay rise during the same period, and had previously seen their wages frozen for 6 years. 

The guards at the Natural History and Science Museums have already walked out of their jobs for six days during the school half-term and Halloween. Their picket on Saturday 26 October gathered over 300 striking security guards and supporters, including politicians, trade unions and supportive members of the public. Several Members of Parliament, activists and members of the public have written to the Museums demanding fair treatment for those who protect millions of visitors every year and our shared cultural heritage. 

Security guards and UVW members at the three museums are demanding a pay rise after being offered what they describe as an “insulting” increase to £13.15 an hour in August 2023. This minimal raise failed to address years of stagnant wages and real-terms pay cuts, including two separate three-year periods of frozen wages. Until August, the guards were earning just £11.95 per hour.

Although the London Living Wage (LLW) has recently been set at £13.85 per hour, Wilson James is refusing to implement it immediately or backdate the previous LLW of £13.15 to November 2023—when it was first announced and should have been applied.

Despite several UVW invitations, Wilson James has refused to engage in pay negotiations. 

Edi Palale, V&A Duty Shift Manager of 15 years and UVW member, 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.”

Petros Elia, general secretary for UVW, said:
“With the Victoria and Albert Museum security guards joining their colleagues from the Natural History and Science Museums, the dispute is escalating significantly and shows no signs of abating. No matter how much Wilson James and the museums try to ignore our members’ demands for fair pay and respect, the fight continues and grows stronger. Wilson James is attempting to muddy the waters by dangling the promise of a trade union recognition agreement before they sit down to negotiate pay, but both they and the guards know that the lack of formal recognition does not stop them increasing pay now. If the company and the museums are serious about avoiding further strikes, they should do the right thing and give the guards – many of whom have worked there for decades – what they’re asking for. It is unacceptable that Wilson James doubled its net profits to over £7.5 million a year whilst the guards only a 1.2 pay rise in a three-year period. Our members stand united, determined, and reinvigorated—they will not back down until their voices are heard and their demands met.”

For further information contact the UVW comms team:

Cristina: 07548 759340

Isabel: 07706 987443

Jim: 07749 765264
E-mail: comms@uvwunion.org.uk   

Notes for editors

United Voices of the World is an anti-racist, member-led, direct action, campaigning trade union and we exist to support and empower the most vulnerable groups of precarious, low-paid and predominantly BAME and migrant workers in the UK. We fight the bosses through direct action on the streets and through the courts and demand that all members receive at least the London Living Wage, full pay, sick pay, dignity, equality and respect.

More on the Museums strike:

• UVW union threatens landmark private prosecution over strike-breaking regulations against museum security contractor Wilson James and agency BMSL 
• Now, that’s what you call a picket! Over 300 join striking museum security guards
• Security guards at Natural History and Science museums announce strikes over October half term and Halloween
• Security guards at the Natural History and Science museums vote overwhelmingly to strike!
• Fighting for fair pay is a matter of principle

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