Unions Call V&A Director’s Absence from Contract Negotiation Talks ‘Shocking’ and ‘Disrespectful’
Two unions, the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) and Prospect, criticized Victoria & Albert Museum director Tristram Hunt for not attending contract negotiations amid strike action over pay, working conditions, and “dignity at work.” Staff at the V&A East Storehouse voted to strike in July, alleging they lacked adequate time for restroom and water breaks and seeking two paid breaks per shift; the museum disputed the characterization but changed its paid-break policy this month to grant the requested breaks. PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said in an August 10 statement that Hunt’s absence from talks was “shocking” and “disrespectful,” while the museum said it has negotiated since February and offered a 3.6% increase in the overall pay bill, with a minimum above-inflation award and a 6.9% increase for the lowest-paid staff. The V&A’s latest annual report lists Hunt’s base salary at £175,000–£180,000, and the museum has not adopted Real Living Wage accreditation, though it says it pays at least the London Living Wage.
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This story was covered in Digital Biennales and Restitution Wars Escalate