National Gallery security staff barred from staff hub, union alleges discrimination
Outsourced guards, mostly from minority ethnic backgrounds, forced to use basement with no natural light
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Trust 58: includes named source (Nick Marro) and official gallery statement, but lacks multiple independent outlets.
Higher is stronger
Critic 95: clearly explains relevance, quotes affected parties, provides specifics, and outlines next steps.
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Hype 45: uses strong adjectives but overall story is detailed, not merely clickbait.
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Outsourced security staff at the National Gallery are being denied access to the building’s staff hub, a senior curator has revealed. The guards, employed by CIS Security, are instead directed to a basement break area with no natural light, broken furniture and rodent problems. The curator, who spoke anonymously, described the arrangement as treating security staff like "second-class citizens".
The hub, created in previously underused spaces beneath the gallery’s exhibition halls, is available to in-house employees. It includes a subsidised canteen with a chef, while the basement offers only vending machines. The National Gallery said the restriction was due to space constraints, a claim the curator disputed. The hub is largely empty on weekends and holidays, when security staff remain barred.
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Union alleges discrimination
The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) wrote to the gallery’s director on 1 July, arguing the arrangement could breach the Equality Act 2010. The letter highlighted that the security staff, mostly from black and Asian backgrounds, are confined to the basement while in-house staff, who are predominantly white, use the hub. The union has not yet received a response.
There is no excuse for the two-tier workforce … Our members deserve equal treatment.
Nick Marro, PCS culture group secretary
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Nick Marro, PCS culture group secretary, told the Guardian the gallery’s treatment of security staff showed "absolute contempt". The union warned the basement is unventilated and accessible only by ducking under pipes. The curator estimated around 60 guards are on site each day, with few taking breaks simultaneously, undermining the gallery’s overcrowding argument.
Gallery defends facilities
The National Gallery said security staff have never had access to the hub offices since their creation. It added that CIS Security recently conducted a staff survey on workplace facilities and is implementing improvements. The gallery claimed security staff preferred a subsidised vending machine, which has since been installed in the basement.
A spokesperson said the gallery monitors pest control as part of routine facilities management. They declined to comment on security staffing levels, citing operational risks. The gallery did not address the union’s discrimination allegation directly. CIS Security did not respond to requests for comment.
What happens next
The PCS union is awaiting a formal response from the National Gallery to its 1 July letter. If the gallery does not address the union’s concerns, PCS may escalate the matter, potentially including legal action under the Equality Act 2010. The union has not yet set a deadline for a reply.
Questions this report answers
+Why are National Gallery security staff barred from the staff hub?
The National Gallery said security staff do not have access to the hub due to space constraints. The gallery stated this has been the policy since the hub offices were established, with dedicated facilities provided elsewhere for security staff and contractors.
+What conditions do security staff face in the basement?
The basement break area for security staff is described as unventilated, with no natural light, broken furniture and rodent problems. The PCS union warned it is accessible only by ducking under pipes and lacks proper catering facilities.
+Has the National Gallery responded to the discrimination allegation?
The National Gallery has not directly addressed the PCS union’s allegation of discrimination under the Equality Act 2010. The union wrote to the gallery’s director on 1 July and is still awaiting a reply. The gallery said it is working with CIS Security to improve facilities.
+What happens if the National Gallery does not respond to the union?
If the National Gallery does not address the PCS union’s concerns, the union may escalate the matter. This could include pursuing legal action under the Equality Act 2010. The union has not yet set a deadline for a response.
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