Workers at three Victoria and Albert Museum sites in London are to strike over pay, health and safety, and working conditions, in a dispute that could disrupt visitor access at V&A East Storehouse, V&A East and Young V&A. The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union, whose members voted 95% in favour of industrial action, has been negotiating with the museum since February but says management needs to return to the table and "start negotiating seriously" to avoid further disruption.

PCS members will strike on 4 and 5 September, then work to rule and withdraw cooperation from 4 September in coordinated action with the Prospect union. Demands include better pay, a cross-site policy to close public spaces once temperatures reach 30C, and provision for Storehouse staff to drink and carry water at work. The V&A said it had met most of the unions' demands with an improved offer, including an average 4.2% pay rise and 6.9% for the lowest-paid staff, and pointed to measures such as drinking fountains, air-cooling at the Storehouse and regular staff breaks.