A planned strike across all four Victoria and Albert Museum sites has been suspended as unionized staff return to the negotiating table following a new offer from management.
Members of Prospect and the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union had voted to strike on October 29 and 30 amid a dispute over wages and working conditions. The dispute includes allegations that workers at the museum’s newest location, V&A East Storehouse, had fainted due to insufficient hydration breaks. The strike would have affected all four V&A sites: the flagship museum in South Kensington, the Young V&A children’s museum in East London, V&A East, and V&A East Storehouse.
The Guardian reports that the strike was suspended on Monday to allow time for talks with the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service, following an “improved” offer from management.
“All V&A museums will be open this week, including all exhibitions, free displays and planned half-term activities. While we are working to reinstate as much of our public program as possible, unfortunately some events may still be cancelled or postponed – visitors are encouraged to check our website before traveling,” a V&A spokesperson told the Guardian.
The V&A unions are calling for a minimum 4 percent pay increase for workers earning above the living wage, time-and-a-half pay for work on bank holidays, and for the museum to become an accredited Real Living Wage employer, which would guarantee all staff an hourly wage that reflects London’s cost of living, currently estimated at £14.80 (about $20). They are also demanding improved conditions across the museum network, including more affordable dining options, shade in outdoor spaces when temperatures are forecast to reach 30°C (86°F) or higher, and better cooling in back-of-house areas. The union called a two-day strike in September.
V&A Storehouse, a publicly accessible museum storage facility in East London, has emerged as a flashpoint in the dispute. Its staff voted unanimously in July to strike, alleging that they are not given sufficient breaks to use the bathroom or drink water. Food and beverages, including sealed water bottles, are prohibited near the collection, according to a museum statement reiterating the policy. Staff, however, say the facility’s water fountains are regularly out of order and that they found beverage bottles in the collections hall the day after a private event.
The V&A has denied the union’s allegations about working conditions at the Storehouse and told ARTnews that management has been negotiating in good faith with the unions since February.
“We welcome this opportunity for constructive discussions with our trade union colleagues,” a museum spokesperson said in a statement. “Our latest pay offer delivers an average 4.18% pay rise and a 6.9% increase for our lowest-paid colleagues; increased bank holiday pay to 1.5, alongside a sector-leading bonus scheme and a subsidized food offer for staff at all V&A sites.”