Security guards at Science and Natural History museums to strike over pay

Outsourced security guards at the Natural History and Science museums have voted overwhelmingly to strike in a dispute over pay and conditions.

Security guards at the two South Kensington museums have had “significant real-terms pay cuts for years” and are now among the lowest-paid workers at the museums, according to United Voices of the World (UVW) union.

The workers, many of whom are migrants, balloted for strike action last month, with 96 per cent of the 95 per cent turnout supporting the action. 

Sempijja Juma, a Science Museum security guard and UVW member, said: “We are asking for pains to be recognised.

“Our work takes us away from our families, we work long hours, sometimes until midnight or 2am, because we cannot afford life in the UK, inflation is high and transport costs are high, we have children and families to look after. 

“The museum looks at us as second-class citizens. Directly employed staff get frequent breaks, but we don’t.”

Union members are asking for a wage of £16 an hour and full sick pay. The union said workers currently only get sick pay from day four of an illness absence.

Workers currently earn £11.95 per hour, 51p above the minimum wage, which was the London Living Wage in 2022.

UVW said their wages are set to be increased to the current London Living Wage of £13.15 per hour, which was introduced in October 2023. 

But, the guards describe the increase as “too little, too late”. Their last wage rise – 4.5 per cent – was more than a year ago and came in substantially below inflation at the time which was 11 per cent.Catherine Campbell, a Science Museum security guard of 13 years and UVW member, said: “This is a tough job, during half term we expect between 14,000-15,000 people in a day. 

“We deal with at least seven first aid situations a day, anything from strokes to fainting, we must be ready for anything and everything. 

“We want respect, we want the bosses to come and speak to us, because we deserve a seat at the table and better pay and conditions.” 

The security guards are outsourced to contractor Wilson James. The contract for providing security guards to the museums, who are part of a consortium with the Victoria & Albert Museum, was worth more than £63million at the point of tender, according to UVW.

The union said Wilson James and the museums have refused to negotiate with the security guards and their union. 

Petros Elia, general secretary for UVW, said: “These workers are responsible for the safety of millions of visitors and priceless artefacts.

“Wilson James reaps huge profits from their hard work but it’s high time they recognise that and pay these guards a wage that reflects their worth.

“The outsourcing of these roles unfairly reduced the guards to second-class workers, cutting them off from the museum’s community, pay scales, and benefits. 

“It’s long overdue for the museums to bring them in-house.”

A Wilson James spokesperson said: “We value our colleagues at the museums and recognise their vital contributions to protecting such treasured national institutions. We will do everything we can to maintain service and ensure the safety, comfort, and satisfaction of families and children excited to visit the museums during half term.

“Throughout the year, we have been in negotiations with our recognised unions at the museums, and in September reached an agreement to increase Security Officers’ pay to £13.15 per hour backdated to April 2024, in line with our commitments as a London Living Wage accredited employer.”

The Natural History Museum declined to comment. The Science Museum has been approached for comment.

Pictured top:The Science Museum in South Kensington (Picture: Google Street View)