Strikes by workers at Manchester's luxury Kimpton Clocktower Hotel and its restaurant and bar The Refuge will escalate, after the employer failed to back down in a union busting dispute.

Workers will strike on Saturday (11 July) (coinciding with England’s quarter final match) and Sunday (12 July).

In addition, they will walk out on 18 and 19 July - impacting World Cup final events at the venue on 19 July. There will also be strikes on 25 and 26 July. The Refuge shows World Cup matches at its late night ‘World Cup Fan Zone’.

Staff at the hotel had already walked out last Saturday and Sunday (4 and 5 July). Kimpton Clocktower owner InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG UK) is still failing to offer Unite members formal recognition and has also not reinstated two Unite representatives who were dismissed on trumped up charges.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "IHG has behaved disgracefully throughout this dispute. It has blatantly targeted Unite reps and refused to offer its hardworking staff the union recognition they are entitled to.

“Our members at Kimpton Clocktower are sick of being treated with contempt by management. Our members continue to have Unite’s full support in their fight against union busting.”

Union members have been trying to get formal Unite recognition at their employer for several months, after enduring poor conditions in the workplace.

Management have refused to make any improvements to working conditions, have failed to listen to their workers’ concerns and have refused to engage with Unite throughout the dispute, cancelling meetings at the last minute.

Unite regional officer Alison Treacher said: “The behaviour of IHG management has left our members at Kimpton Clocktower with no choice but to escalate industrial action.

“This is a dispute entirely of IHG’s own making. Further strikes can be avoided but that relies on the company changing tack and giving its hardworking staff the respect and rights they deserve.”

The landmark dispute is the first ever hospitality sector strike in the North West. Unite is currently running a petition demanding IHG UK to stop targeting union activists, recognise the Kimpton workers rights to have their grievance heard collectively and support their union recognition campaign.

ENDS

Notes to editors

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Email: natasha.wynarczyk@unitetheunion.org