Staff at the V&A’s Storehouse site in east London have voted overwhelmingly to strike - not over pay, but over the institution’s apparent belief that toilet breaks and water are optional extras. The trade union Prospect says members at the Storehouse, which opened in May 2025, are denied enough time during the day for bathroom visits or hydration. The dispute centers on collections access officers who run the “order an object” service, a key feature of the Storehouse’s public access offering. The union is demanding two paid breaks a day, noting that such breaks are already given to workers at other V&A sites. One Prospect member told the Guardian: “We get just one unpaid lunch hour, even though we’re on our feet for long hours, interacting with the public and doing a lot of manual labour. … We’ve experienced a lot of dehydration, and sometimes people don’t even go to the bathroom for the whole day.” Another added: “Every day we go into work, there’s someone who has a headache because they’re dehydrated.” At V&A Storehouse, 100% of those voting backed strike action on a turnout of nearly 88%, while 92% supported action short of a strike. As part of a wider dispute, Prospect is also seeking a minimum 4% pay rise for staff earning above the living wage, time-and-a-half for bank holiday working, accreditation as a London living wage employer within 12 months, and improved food provision at V&A East sites. Across the V&A, 83% voted for strike action on an 82% turnout, and 95% voted for action short of a strike. The timing of any industrial action has yet to be decided. Mike Clancy, Prospect’s general secretary, said: “This incredible new way of showing off our heritage is being delivered by workers who are denied adequate break time to use the toilet or have a drink of water. … Visitors will be appalled to learn that the kinds of working practices unions campaign against in companies like Amazon also exist in an internationally renowned heritage institution.” A V&A spokesperson countered that the museum has offered a 3.6% increase in the overall pay bill, an above-inflation pay award as a minimum, and a 6.9% increase for lowest-paid colleagues, and maintained that all staff have access to water, toilet facilities, and regular breaks. They pointed to water fountains on every floor at the Storehouse, though noted that food and drink are not permitted in the main collections hall or storage areas for security reasons. The London living wage is currently £14.80 an hour; the V&A says all its staff are paid at least this rate, but the museum has not become an accredited living wage employer, though it says this will be reviewed this year.