V&A Changes Paid Break Policy as East Storehouse Strike Looms

Just weeks after workers at the Victoria and Albert Museum’s East Storehouse voted to strike over working conditions, the institution announced that it was changing its break policy, according to Museums Assocation, a nonprofit representing museum, gallery, and heritage professionals and organizations in the UK.

The trade union Prospect, which represents collections access officers at the Storehouse, argued that its members were not given enough time to use the bathroom or drink water during their shifts. The union demanded that the institution allow for two paid breaks per shift, which it said was equivalent to what other workers at the V&A already receive.

On August 7, the V&A notified workers that it was granting staff the requested breaks. However, the Prospect members said they are still planning to strike over pay and other issues.

“This is a great result for our members, but it really shouldn’t have taken the threat of strike action for the V&A to grant this reasonable request,” Prospect General Secretary Mike Clancy told Museums Association.

“The V&A spent multiple days defending the indefensible and eroding the trust of their own staff. It was only direct industrial pressure and negative media coverage that forced this change of position,” he continued. “Management at the V&A can avoid further embarrassment and disruption by finally making progress on pay and conditions for staff and settling the remaining industrial dispute.”

The V&A, for its part, said that it has been in negotiations with Prospect since February, and that its current offer is for a 3.6 percent increase in overall pay, a minimum increase above inflation, and a 6.9 percent increase for the lowest-paid workers. “As always, we have maintained our long-standing commitment to paying at least the London Living Wage,” it said in a statement.

The museum also refuted claims of adverse working conditions.

“The safety and wellbeing of our staff is of utmost importance to the V&A. All our staff have always had access to water and toilet facilities and regular breaks while at work. At V&A East Storehouse, we have water fountains on every floor to ensure both staff and visitors in Front of House areas have access to drinking water throughout the building. To ensure the safety and security of national collections, during visits to V&A East Storehouse, food and drink are not permitted for visitors or staff in the main Collections Hall or storage areas.

“Extensive measures were implemented to support our staff during the heatwave, ranging from additional rest breaks to increasing staff rotations across gallery spaces, closing several galleries at V&A South Kensington, and closing Young V&A during the peak of the heatwave.”

The impending strike is the latest labor issue at the V&A. Last month, ARTnews reported that the museum’s former head of academic programs, Yuko Kikuchi, resigned after alleging systemic racism within the institution. The V&A denied the allegations and said it had taken steps to address concerns raised by students.

The V&A did not respond to a request for comment at press time.