Village workers win

Three weeks of strike action by Unite members at Village Hotel in Govan, Glasgow has ended in a win for workers, with significant improvements to pay and conditions for the hospitality workers.

 On 15 July, Unite members at Village Hotel in Govan voted 100 per cent for strike action on an 81 per cent turnout.  The action was the first hotel strike in Britain since 1979 resulting in protests outside the Glasgow hotel. 

Following the action and weeks of negotiations involving Village’s senior management and reps, the youngest workers won a pay rise of 10 per cent backdated to 1 April 2024, with some workers getting up to £3,000. Meanwhile the employer will also give a £400 payment for workers aged over 21 who did not benefit from the equal pay uplift.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “These low-paid, young workers stood up to a wealthy company and have won a historic victory.

“This win proves exactly why it pays to be a member of Unite. Our union will always deliver what we promise for our members – better and fairer jobs, pay and conditions.”

Village Hotels has also agreed to cover all tax and national insurance for the pay rises, putting money back in members’ pockets and it will also replace unstable zero hours contracts with guaranteed minimum hour contracts.

Unite Hospitality national lead Bryan Simpson said: “What these young workers have managed to win after undertaking strike action is incredible.

“This is not the end of their battle for full equal pay and the real living wage but it’s an incredible achievement for these strikers who took on a hotel chain owned by the biggest asset management company in the world and won thousands for the lowest paid workers.

“They are an inspiration to hotel workers everywhere, showing that if you unionise and take action collectively, you can win.”

Village Hotels was founded in 1995 and operates 33 hotels in the United Kingdom. In June 2024, the firm was purchased by The Blackstone Group, an American asset management company that has more than $1 trillion in assets under management.

Unite Village Hotels national convenor Daniel Friel added: “This win will put thousands of pounds in the pockets of the youngest workers with a substantial and tax-free backdated pay rise; as well as the abolition of explorative zero hour contracts. 

“This has been a campaign around equality and against discrimination – something Village refuses to codify into our contracts. Our campaign to produce a fair and equal environment within Village Hotels will continue.”

The Unite Hospitality sector has been working tirelessly to support its, mainly, young and low paid members in bars, restaurants, music venues and hotels across the country – to find out more about the sector go here. 

By Keith Hatch