Photo call for public demonstration - 3pm on Sunday 3rd August

Village Hotel in Glasgow, one of the city’s major hotels, is set to be rocked by all-out strike action starting on 2 August.

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

On 15 July, Unite members returned an overwhelming mandate for industrial action when 100 per cent voted yes to strike action on an 81 per cent turnout.

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

PHOTO-OP - WHERE & WHEN

3PM - Sunday 3rd August

Village Hotel Club, 7 Festival Gate, Pacific Dr, Glasgow G51 1DB

The dispute is over three issues:

•         The real living wage of £12.60 - most workers are paid National Minimum Wage.  

•         Equal pay - younger workers paid as little as £10. 

•         Failure to pay for breaks.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham. “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 per cent every step in their fight."

Workers at Village Glasgow have already won a backdated pay rise after it was discovered by Unite reps that there had been a significant wage disparity that disproportionately affected young women, as well as backdated pay for unpaid training over a period of up to two years. 

On 24 June 2024, Village Hotels was bought-over by Blackstone - "the world's largest asset manager" with more than $1trillion in assets. In the same week, they told the workers that they couldn't afford a 39p pay rise as they spent £83m on new hotels and refurbishments. 

Bryan Simpson, national lead for Unite’s hospitality sector said: “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.” 

ENDS

Notes to Editor 

For media enquiries please contact Bryan Simpson on 07891 118390 or bryan.simpson@unitetheunion.org 

Unite Scotland is the country’s biggest and most diverse trade union with around 150,000 members. The union is led in Scotland by Derek Thomson.