V&A Museum staff in London begin two-day strike — Anadolu Agency

Staff at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in the United Kingdom began a two-day strike on September 25 over a dispute concerning pay and working conditions. Members of the Prospect and PCS trade unions who work at the museum’s South Kensington site are taking part in the strike on September 25–26.

Negotiations yielded no result

As Anadolu Agency reports, V&A management and the trade unions failed to reach an agreement on several issues during regular negotiations. Earlier, on September 4–5, staff at three other museum sites — East Storehouse, East Museum and Young V&A — also went on strike.

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Differences over pay and working conditions

The union said that V&A director Tristram Hunt had spoken of an average pay rise of 4.18% for staff. At the same time, according to the union, the overwhelming majority of workers, except for the lowest-paid ones, are being offered a 3.25% increase.

For employees in the lowest pay grade, the proposal provides for bringing pay up to the London Living Wage level, which means an increase of 6.9%. However, the union said the employer refuses to obtain London Living Wage accreditation. It also claims that there are not enough drinking fountains in the museum and that they often do not work. The museum expressed regret over the unions’ decision to strike and said that staff have regular access to water, toilets and breaks.