Full Breakdown
V&A Museum Workers Set to Strike on September 4-5 Over Pay and Safety
8/27/2026, 11:04:10 AM
Planned Strike Action at the V&A
Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union members at the Victoria and Albert Museum’s East Storehouse, V&A East and Young V&A are scheduled to walk out on September 4 and September 5. From September 4 onward, PCS members will also work to rule across all V&A sites, limiting duties to the strictest terms of their contracts and withdrawing cooperation with Prospect union members, who will strike on the same days.
Union Demands and Ballot Support
The PCS ballot recorded 95 % approval for industrial action, while 97.86 % backed the short-of-strike measures. Union leaders are pressing for a pay rise for Band 6 staff and above, accreditation as a Real Living Wage employer, a 1.5 × bank-holiday rate, a heat-wave policy that closes public spaces at 30 °C, and guaranteed water access for staff at the East Storehouse.
Museum’s Offer and Official Response
The latest offer includes an average 4.18 % pay rise (6.9 % for the lowest-paid colleagues), a 1.5 × bank-holiday rate, a sector-leading bonus scheme, a commitment to the London Living Wage, and subsidised food. The museum also notes regular breaks, drinking fountains on each floor and an air-cooling system at the East Storehouse, alongside broader heat-wave mitigation measures.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The message to the V&A is clear: our members will not stand by while their concerns are ignored. If management wants to avoid further disruption, it needs to get around the table with PCS and start negotiating seriously.” — Mike Clancy, general secretary of Prospect
