Prospect members to strike over “Amazon-style” working practices at flagship V&A site

Prospect members working as collections access officers at the V&A’s recently opened flagship V&A Storehouse site in East London have voted unanimously for strike action in a dispute over working conditions.

100% of those who voted did so in favour of strike action on a turnout of nearly 88%. 92% voted in favour of action short of a strike.

The dispute is over unacceptable “Amazon-style” conditions with workers denied sufficient time during the day for toilet breaks or for drinks.

Prospect is asking for two paid breaks a day to allow staff time to use toilets and hydrate in what is a punishing daily schedule.

Prospect brought a collective grievance against V&A on the matter, but the museum has failed to agree to Prospect’s extremely reasonable request for customary paid breaks. Workers in other parts of the organisation already receive these customary paid breaks.

Collections access officers facilitate the “order an object” process that has been marketed as an innovative new way to see objects and part of the Storehouse ‘vision’ of modernising museums.

These workers have largely been drawn from the local community, something the V&A is keen to make mileage out of, yet they are treated much worse than other workers on different sites.

There has also been a lot of fanfare around the innovativeness of the Storehouse with visits from high profile figures like London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan.

Read the Guardian’s story on the V&A Storehouse strike action, which includes the personal reflections of Prospect members working there.

More V&A action

Prospect members at the whole of the V&A have also voted for industrial action in a wider dispute over pay, working conditions and the refusal of V&A to seek Living Wage accreditation.

83% of those who voted supported strike action on a turnout of 82%. 95% voted in favour of action short of a strike.

Prospect is demanding the V&A:

• Deliver a minimum 4% pay increase for staff earning above the Living Wage
• Pay time-and-a-half for Bank Holiday working
• Become an accredited London Living Wage employer within 12 months
• Improve food provision at V&A East sites.

The timing and specifics of the industrial action at all London V&A sites will be decided in due course.

Mike Clancy, Prospect General Secretary, said:

“This brand-new flagship site of one of the country’s most popular national museums opened with great fanfare last year and it has been a huge success.

“However, this incredible new way of showing off our heritage is being delivered by workers who are denied adequate break time to use the toilet or have a drink of water. Visitors to the museum will be appalled to learn that these kinds of working practices, which unions campaign against in companies like Amazon, also exist in an internationally renowned heritage institution.

“This is part of a pattern with V&A showing a shocking lack of respect to its employees and fighting fairness at every turn. That’s why our members have also voted to take action across the whole V&A in London.

“It is our members who make the V&A what it is and it’s time Tristram Hunt and the rest of the V&A senior management started treating their workers in a manner befitting a National Museum.”