20.02.2025 / Press releases /

Security guards at London’s top museums pause strike action pending promised pay offer

• Strike action paused at Natural History, Science and V&A museums from 20th February to 7th March as security guards await formal pay offer
• On 14 February, the Business Director and Senior HR Business Partner of the museum contractor Wilson James told UVW representatives to expect an offer from the museums’ by 7th March latest
• If the deadline is not met or the offer is inadequate daily strike action will resume indefinitely.

Security guards at the Natural History Museum, Science Museum and Victoria & Albert Museum have agreed to temporarily pause their historic strike action after nearly three straight weeks of daily walkouts throughout February. The decision comes following promises that the museums will present an acceptable offer by early March.

If no offer is forthcoming, or if it fails to meet workers’ demands, guards will resume strike action every day from 7 March

The security guards, members of United Voices of the World (UVW), are demanding:

• A pay rise to £16 per hour to catch up with years of pay freezes
• Sick pay from day one, instead of the current three-day unpaid period
• Equal terms and benefits as directly employed museum staff, including more annual leave and an annual bonus.

Guards at the Young V&A Museum in Bethnal Green and the V&A East Museum in Stratford have also joined the dispute, demanding the same equality of terms and conditions.

Guards have already endured years of stagnant wages, including six years of frozen pay and a mere 1.2% increase between 2019 and 2021, despite Wilson James doubling its profits to over £7.6 million annually.

The museums themselves have reported record-breaking profits and visitor numbers, yet security guards were earning as little as £11.95 per hour before strike action. Even after the London Living Wage rose to £13.85, Wilson James refused to implement it immediately or backdate it.

Edi Palalej, security guard and UVW representative at V&A Museum said:

“We are placing our trust in Wilson James, the V&A and other museums to meet our demands. We hope their promised response will be a positive one, helping to prevent future strikes and rebuild trust between us and our employers.”

Petros Elia, UVW general secretary, said:  

“This dispute has placed Wilson James and the museums’ leadership under growing pressure and rightly so. Security guards have endured years of low pay and unfair treatment while the museums boast record-breaking profits. They have stood strong through a significant period of strike action, making it clear that they will not back down until they get what they deserve.

UVW is calling on the museums and their trustees to step up and finally deliver a fair deal for their security staff. After nearly a month of disruption, the power to prevent further strikes rests entirely in their hands.

The fight is far from over—if the museums fail to act, the guards are ready to walk out again. It’s time for them to do the right thing. We remain at their disposal for talks.” 

For more information contact the UVW comms team:                  

Jim: 07749 765264
Cristina: 07548 759340

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:

• Security guards at Natural History Museum, Science Museum and V&A urge public to not visit museums during historic month-long strike in February
• Striking security guards visit V&A trustee Amanda Levete to demand fair pay and sick leave
• Over 100 security guards to make history by taking co-ordinated strike action across the Science, Natural History and V&A Museums 
• Strike action at the Natural History and Science Museums suspended pending talks 
• Victoria and Albert Museum security guards begin ballot to strike, join forces with Science and Natural History colleagues in fight for fair pay 
• 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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