Union launch fair pay campaign for Glasgow hotel workers

Members of Unite the union's hospitality branch picketed at the Premier Inn on George Street as part of a campaign for better pay.

Dozens of passing cars tooted their horns in support of the campaigners who unfurled a banner outside the establishment.

According to union, who organise some of the workers at the Whitbread owned chain, almost a third of employees at Premier Inns earn a minimum wage of £8.91 an hour.

One of the members who took part in the protest said: “I don’t think it’s possible to have a good night’s sleep in a hotel run by underpaid workers.

“Hospitality workers are among the most exploited, the worst treated , some of the youngest workers and they deserve a level of pay that reflects the level of hard work that they do just like everyone else.”

The union are now fighting for all workers to be paid at least the real living wage of £9.50 per hour.

The Glasgow Times understands that no workers at the hotel took part in the protest.

The protest called for an end to the “poverty pay” culture that the union claims “afflicts the company.”

Unite has called on Whitbread to ‘lead the way’ in terms of staff pay and benefits as one of the UK’s largest hospitality and hotel chains. They said the company would set a ‘benchmark’ and encourage more people to apply for jobs in the industry which the union claims is undergoing a serious recruitment crisis which is ‘hobbling’ the sector.

Protests also took place across the UK in London, Belfast and Aberystwyth Premier Inns to coincide with Whitbread’s annual general meeting.

Unite's Bryan Simpson. Pics:Colin Mearns

Unite's hospitality branch organiser Bryan Simpson said: "As one of the biggest employers in the hospitality industry across the UK, Whitbread have got not just a moral obligation to do the right thing by their staff, they actually owe it to their customers and to set a precedent in the industry to be one of the biggest employers to pay the real living wage. 

"So we're sending a message across the UK, in particular Glasgow to Whitbread as the owners of Premier Inn that our workers are not accepting poverty pay any longer. They want the real living wage, regardless of age."

A spokeswoman for Whitbread said: “Whitbread is proud to be a company where people can start and grow their career. Employees have the opportunity to progress their pay either through growing their skills and pay in-role - which we call “pay for progression” - or by promotion, and more than two thirds of our hourly paid employees are paid more than National Living Wage.

"Over the two years since the start of the pandemic most of our team members have received pay increases of over 8% despite our business being closed, and have benefitted from our topping up furlough to 100% - a move Unite themselves describe as ‘industry leading’."