Strikes planned for 2025: top London museums' security staff walk out
Strikes planned for 2025: top London museums' security staff walk out
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We have seen our fair share of train strikes, airport workers strikes and more but now might be the first time security guards at some of London's biggest museums are to strike. In a growing conflict over wages and working conditions security guards at several museums are planning to strike in February. United Voices of the World (UVW) union members are hoping for increased compensation, better sick leave and full equality with directly employed museum staff, as well as extra yearly leave and a bonus.
Here is how the year ahead looks for strikes. The situation at the end of January is as follows. For the whole of February, about 100 members of the UVW union who work at the Science Museum, Natural History Museum and V&A Museum will strike. The action, according to the union, was unprecedented and would be the longest strike at all three institutions. Wilson James, the company that hires the security officers for the museums, said it was looking for a solution that “balances fair pay with the need to remain financially responsible”.
The union has asked the public to avoid visiting these museums during February as a show of support for their action. Industrial action by the RMT union affected Avanti West Coast services on January 2 and will affect services on Sunday until May 25. No further industrial action from other operators has been announced. The British Medical Association held a walkout last June as part of a dispute between resident doctors and the government.
