Security guards at three London museums set for more strike action

Security guards at the Science Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Natural History Museum will begin fresh industrial action lasting from tomorrow (17 January) until Monday (20 January) as part of an ongoing dispute over wages, sick pay and annual leave.

Members of the the United Voices of the World (UVW) union, who are employed by outsourcing contractor Wilson James, have already taken a total of 18 days of strike action across five stoppages since October.

They are asking Wilson James for a pay rise to £16 an hour, full sick pay from day one and a week more of annual leave.

The upcoming walkouts, involving around 100 staff, coincide with three legal claims commenced by UVW alleging significant abuses and legal breaches by Wilson James. Two of the claims were launched since the strike began.

One claim involves a migrant worker and union member who reported being subjected to racist remarks. Another involves a zero-hours worker who refused to cross a picket line during October strikes and claims they were subsequently penalised with cancelled shifts, reduced wages, and marked as “unavailable.”

The third claim involves a guard recovering from cancer who was allegedly repeatedly denied a chair.

Petros Elia, general secretary for UVW, said: “This strike is not just about pay or conditions; it’s about confronting structural injustices, exploitation, discrimination and greed.

A Wilson James spokesperson told Arts Newspaper, “We offer competitive compensation and are committed to transparent negotiations with our recognised unions. While we acknowledge the demands put forward by UVW, we are seeking a resolution that balances fair pay with the need to remain financially responsible.”