Glasgow Village Hotel staff set to take strike action

A number of staff members at Village Hotel will take action on August 2, as they claim that they are not being paid real living wage and are not being paid for breaks. 

Workers also say they want equal pay as some younger members of the team are only being paid £10.

(Image: Image of Village Hotel) Unite members returned with an overwhelming mandate for industrial action on July 15 as 100% voted yes to strike action on an 81% turnout.

Unite believes that the industrial action will be the first strike at a major hotel since the chambermaids industrial action at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London in 1979. 

There will be a public demonstration in support of the strike at 3pm on Sunday, August 2.

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Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary, said: “Unite will have the back of our Village Glasgow hotel workers as they begin historic strike action.

"At the heart of this dispute is a fight over decent pay and working conditions. This is a wealthy company which is short-changing its hardworking staff. Unite will support these workers 100% every step in their fight."

Bryan Simpson, national lead for Unite’s hospitality sector, added: “Our members at Village Hotels are taking this landmark industrial action because they are sick and tired of unpaid breaks and poverty pay which discriminates based on age.

“The owners of Village Hotels have more than enough money to pay these workers what they deserve. If they want to stop the first strike at a major hotel in over 45 years, they should get round the table and negotiate with Unite and its members."

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However, Lindsay Southward, group director of operations and people at Village Hotels, said that the hotel continually review their remuneration policies and align with industry best practice, as well as offer a competitive range of employee benefits.

Lindsay added: “Our hotel will open as usual for guests and members to enjoy our full range of facilities during the industrial action.

"We are proud of the investment we make in our employees, which helps drive our employee engagement score and retention rate of 83% and 76% respectively - both significantly higher than industry averages."

Village Hotel Glasgow claim that of 125 employees at the hotel, 13 voted for industrial action.