V&A workers hold ballot to strike over pay and heatwave conditions

Workers at one of the world’s leading art and design museums are balloting for “heatwave” strike action.The ballot at V&A is taking place because of concerns about soaring temperatures and access to drinking water, along with pay and conditions.More than 300 workers at four V&A sites in London – the museum in South Kensington, V&A East Museum and V&A East Storehouse in Stratford, and Young V&A in Bethnal Green – are taking part in the ballot.The V&A, founded in 1852 after the Great Exhibition, is described as “a family of museums dedicated to the power of creativity”. Its mission is to “promote art and design for all”.V&A East Storehouse in Stratford, east London, a collections and research building, opened in May last year. Photograph: David Levene/The GuardianThe ballot has been launched during a summer of extraordinarily high temperatures and is thought to be one of the first to raise concerns about workplace conditions during a heatwave.The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) launched the strike ballot on 23 July owing to “serious and unresolved concerns affecting staff across the museum”.While pay rates are an issue, with calls for a minimum 4% pay increase, the union has also raised concerns about heat exposure and access to drinking water.It is calling for management to implement a policy of closing public areas across all four sites when temperatures exceed 30C, introduce heat mitigation measures for back of house workers, and allow staff at V&A East Storehouse to carry and drink water while working in areas where exhibits are on display, rather than waiting for another worker to come and relieve them while they go for a drink.The union is also calling on V&A to become an accredited living wage employer in London. The current London living wage is £14.80 an hour. The V&A has confirmed that all its staff are paid at least this rate. However, some of the museum’s outsourced contractors are not in receipt of the living wage and V&A has not so far become an accredited living wage employer, although it says this will be reviewed later this year.V&A Dundee, which is not part of the strike ballot, is an accredited living wage employer.Part of the PCS complaint concerns access to drinking water during shifts at museum sites such as V&A East Storehouse (pictured). Photograph: David Levene/The GuardianNick Marro, the culture secretary at PCS, said: “PCS members at the V&A are balloting for strike action because enough is enough. Management refuses to let staff carry or drink water while they work, refuses to become a London living wage accredited employer.skip past newsletter promotionafter newsletter promotion“At the same time, it claims it cannot afford a decent pay rise for staff. This is an employer that is failing the very people who keep one of Britain’s most prestigious museums running. It’s unfair, it’s unsafe and our members are prepared to fight back.”The Prospect trade union is also balloting members for strike action at the V&A over concerns about pay and conditions. Its ballot closes on 29 July.A spokesperson for the V&A said: “The V&A has been in negotiations with the trade union side since February and those negotiations are ongoing. Our offer sees a 3.6% increase in the overall pay bill, an above-inflation pay award as a minimum and 6.9% increase for our lowest-paid colleagues. As always, we have maintained our longstanding commitment to paying at least the London living wage.“The safety and wellbeing of our staff is of utmost importance to the V&A – all our staff have access to water and toilet facilities and regular breaks while at work. Extensive measures were implemented to support our staff during the heatwave, ranging from additional rest breaks, increasing staff rotations across gallery spaces, closing several galleries at V&A South Kensington and closing Young V&A altogether on 11 days during the peak of the heatwave.“To ensure the safety and security of national collections, during Order an Object appointments at V&A East Storehouse, food and drink are not permitted and visitors are accompanied by V&A staff during their appointment.”