V&A staff vote for strikes over welfare and pay

Staff working at the Victoria and Albert Museum’s Storehouse facility in east London have voted to take strike action after a dispute about workplace welfare conditions, the Prospect union said. The ballot returned unanimous support among participating employees at the site, with an 88% turnout recorded.

The Storehouse, which opened in May 2025, is at the centre of claims from collections access officers that they do not have enough time during shifts for hydration or restroom breaks. Workers say operational requirements and the building’s layout mean collection objects must be supervised continuously, making it difficult to step away.

Welfare dispute at the V&A Storehouse in east London Prospect said it is seeking two scheduled paid breaks per day to address the reported conditions. According to the union, the constant need to monitor collection items limits staff ability to rest, even briefly, while on duty.

The museum has previously stated that staff have access to necessary facilities and breaks. No dates for any industrial action at the Storehouse have been announced.

London-wide V&A ballot adds pay and policy demands

In a separate but parallel process, V&A staff across all London sites have also voted to strike in a broader dispute that includes pay and institutional policy, Prospect said. That wider action contains a set of demands covering compensation, conditions, and formal wage recognition.

The union is calling for a 4% pay increase, improved bank holiday compensation, and formal accreditation as a London Living Wage employer. Prospect also wants better food provisions at V&A East locations.

The V&A has said it already meets the London Living Wage threshold for all staff. Prospect’s position is that formal certification should be secured, alongside other measures it is requesting in the wider dispute.

Next steps remain unclear

While the ballots indicate strong support for industrial action, the timing and scope of any strike activity have not been set out. The union and the museum have not announced a schedule, leaving uncertainty over how visitors and operations may be affected.

The dispute highlights a combination of on-the-job welfare concerns at a newly opened facility and wider pay and policy questions across the institution’s London workforce, with Prospect pressing for specific, scheduled changes and the V&A reiterating its stance on existing provisions.