V&A strike escalated to all London sites
Prospect members at the V&A in London are to escalate their industrial action by going on strike on the 29th and 30th of October (half term) in a dispute over pay and working conditions. The strike action is being coordinated with PCS members who are also striking on those days in a parallel dispute. It will affect V&A South Kensington, V&A East, V&A Storehouse and Young V&A.
Director of the V&A Tristram Hunt continues to refuse to take part in any arbitration talks, and V&A has again failed to come back with any revised offer despite negotiations on 13 October.
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
Prospect and PCS members were on strike at South Kensington only on 25-26 September, and at V&A East, Young V&A and V&A Storehouse only on 4-5 September but this is the first time a strike has covered all those sites. As well as this strike action Prospect members are also taking part in action short of strike, including working to contract and withdrawal of good will.
In a separate dispute with V&A, Prospect recently won paid breaks for collections workers at V&A Storehouse who had previously been unable to access toilet and drinking water facilities on shift.
Mike Clancy, General Secretary of Prospect, said:
“This is a dispute which V&A could potentially have resolved months ago but their continuing refusal to move on our demands has left us with no choice but to continue our strike action.
“V&A is deservedly one of the UK’s top heritage attractions but visitors will be shocked to hear poorly paid many staff are, and that such a major institution refuses to get Living Wage accreditation. People on the lowest wages need to know that their pay will keep up with the real cost of living.
“Prospect members are dedicated to their jobs, and it is these dedicated staff who make the museum the world-class attraction it is. That Tristram Hunt can’t even be bothered to take part in the negotiations himself shows the level of disdain in which he holds his staff.”
