LOW paid workers at Liverpool's world
famous Britannia Adelphi Hotel went on strike, on 23 December 2016 and will
again walk out on New Year's Eve after their scrooge employer flatly refused to
negotiate on pay and conditions despite a huge rise in profits.
RMT members, who work at the Hotel, said that they will not book on for shifts
that start between a minute after midnight and 23:59, on 23 December 2016 and do
the same again on 31 December 2016. These are 2 of the Hotel's busiest days of
the year and it has shocked many tourists in the area.
The RMT said that:- "Despite Adelphi profits rising by 40% to £1.14
million, helping Britannia to double its group profits and hand out a huge £35
million dividend, the company remains a minimum wage employer and refuses to
discuss paying the Living Wage Foundation rate of £8.45. As profits have risen,
the Hotel has added to staff anger by blanking RMT's call to end 0 hours
contracts, cutting room cleaning times by 20%, reducing staffing levels and even
denying its workers free use of the Hotel car park."
RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said:- "It is shameful that the Adelphi's
owners are sweating both their assets and their workforce while paying the
lowest possible wages. Tourism in Liverpool is booming, yet Britannia is denying
its staff a fair share of the profits they have generated. Britannia Group boss
Alex Langsam has raked in a personal fortune of £220 million on the backs of our
members' labour, and they have had enough. Britannia can clearly afford to pay a
living wage, and the company knows that RMT is ready to talk whenever they are,
but our members have served notice that they will no longer be treated like
Victorian-era servants."
