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20.02.2025 / News / Natural History, Science and V&A Museums

Security guards at London’s top museums pause strike action pending promised pay offer

“We hope their promised response will be a positive one, helping to prevent future strikes” – Edi Palalej, security guard and UVW representative at V&A Museum.

Security guards at the Natural History Museum, Science Museum and Victoria & Albert Museum have agreed to temporarily pause their historic strike action after nearly three straight weeks of daily walkouts throughout February. The decision comes following promises that the museums will present an acceptable offer by early March. If no offer is forthcoming, or if it fails to meet workers’ demands, guards will resume strike action every day from 7 March.

On 14 February, the Business Director and Senior HR Business Partner of the museum contractor Wilson James told UVW representatives to expect an offer from the museums’ by 7 March latest.

The security guards, members of United Voices of the World (UVW), are demanding a pay rise to £16 per hour to catch up with years of pay freezes, sick pay from day one, instead of the current three-day unpaid period and equal terms and benefits as directly employed museum staff, including more annual leave and an annual bonus.

Guards have already endured years of stagnant wages, including six years of frozen pay and a mere 1.2% increase between 2019 and 2021, despite Wilson James doubling its profits to over £7.6 million annually.

The museums themselves have reported record-breaking profits and visitor numbers, yet security guards were earning as little as £11.95 per hour before strike action. Even after the London Living Wage rose to £13.85, Wilson James refused to implement it immediately or backdate it.

Edi Palalej, security guard and UVW representative at V&A Museum said, he and his colleagues “are placing our trust in Wilson James, the V&A and other museums to meet our demands. We hope their promised response will be a positive one, helping to prevent future strikes and rebuild trust between us and our employers.”

Guards at the Young V&A Museum in Bethnal Green and the V&A East Museum in Stratford have also joined the dispute, demanding the same equality of terms and conditions.

The dispute has placed Wilson James and the museums’ leadership under growing pressure. Security have stood strong through a significant period of strike action, making it clear that they will not back down until they get what they deserve.

UVW is calling on the museums and their trustees to step up and finally deliver a fair deal for their security staff. After nearly a month of disruption, the power to prevent further strikes rests entirely in their hands.

The fight is far from over—if the museums fail to act, the guards are ready to walk out again. It’s time for them to do the right thing.

UVW remains at their disposal for talks.

Support the guards by writing to their employers using our easy template here >>

If you can, make a donation to their strike fund to keep their fight for justice going >>

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