SECURITY guards at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum are preparing to vote on strike action for the first time this week.

Ballots will be open from November 22 to December  6, their union UVW has announced, with staff fighting for £16 an hour and full sick pay.

The guards have received just a 1.2 per cent pay rise between 2019 and 2021, while their contractor Wilson James saw its profits double to over £7.6 million annually over the same period. 

Guards employed by the same contractor at the Natural History and Science museums have already walked out following a successful ballot.

UVW general secretary Petros Elia said that with V&A guards set to join the fight, the dispute “shows no signs of abating.”

“No matter how much Wilson James and the museums try to ignore our members’ demands for fair pay and respect, the fight continues and grows stronger.”

Edi Palale, a V&A guard of 15 years, said: “We work in the same building, for the same corporation as the directly employed staff, everyone should be paid and treated fairly.”

A Wilson James spokesperson said: “At Wilson James, we place the highest value on our colleagues’ contributions to protecting and enhancing visitor experiences at the V&A. The safety of both our team members and the public are our top priority, and we are committed to maintaining a respectful and fair working environment.

“We offer competitive compensation to our employees and remain dedicated to fair and transparent negotiations. Throughout the year, we have been in negotiations with our recognised unions at the museums and are currently seeking to engage with UVW through a formal recognition agreement, to facilitate dialogue with their members about pay and working conditions.”