National Gallery security staff segregated, curator claims

Instead, the security staff are relegated to a basement space described as 'stifling', with broken furniture, pest problems, and a lack of natural light or air-conditioning. The curator noted that while the hub offers a subsidised canteen and chef, the basement area is 'dingy, dirty and dark' with only a vending machine.

The National Gallery has reportedly cited space constraints as the reason for restricting access to the hub, but the curator argues this is unconvincing, especially during weekends and holidays when few gallery employees are present. The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), which represents the security staff, has labelled the situation as 'absolute contempt' and warned that the unventilated basement is dangerous.

The PCS union wrote to the gallery's director on July 1, stating that forcing a largely black and Asian workforce into the basement while the largely white staff enjoy better facilities is 'potentially discriminatory under the Equality Act 2010'. The union is awaiting a response.

CIS Security, the employer of the outsourced guards, declined to comment. The National Gallery stated that security staff have not had access to the hub offices since their establishment due to space constraints, and that dedicated facilities are provided elsewhere. The gallery also mentioned that improvements are being implemented based on a recent staff survey and that security staff preferred a subsidised vending machine.