Staff at the V&A East Storehouse in London have voted overwhelmingly for strike action in a dispute over what the union Prospect says are inadequate toilet and hydration breaks. They will be joined by colleagues across other V&A sites in London, who also voted to strike this week in a broader dispute covering pay, working conditions and the museum's refusal to seek living wage accreditation.

At Storehouse, which opened in May 2025, 100% of voting members backed strike action on an 88% turnout, with the dispute centring on collections access officers who retrieve items for the public "order an object" service; staff say they receive only one unpaid lunch break despite long hours of manual, on-foot work, and are seeking two paid breaks a day. Across the wider V&A, 83% voted for strike action on an 82% turnout, with Prospect demanding a minimum 4% pay rise, time-and-a-half for bank holidays, London living wage accreditation within 12 months, and better food provision; the timing of any action has not yet been decided.