Get back round the table

Unite members from WSP Textiles made their voices heard last week at the Players Championship snooker tournament in Telford, as part of their ongoing campaign for better pay and conditions.

The highly skilled workers produce world-class snooker cloth used in many elite tournaments, such as the Players Championship, around the world – yet many are paid little more than minimum wage.

The workers gathered outside the Telford International Centre, where the tournament hosted snooker stars including Judd Trump, Neil Robertson, Mark Selby, Zhao Xintong and many more.

Outside the venue, they spoke with fans and members of the public about their fight for fair pay. The response was overwhelmingly supportive, with people taking flyers and signing their name in support.

Unite South West has produced a film from the demonstration where you can hear first hand the concerns of the workers as they travelled to Telford.

Unite regional officer Michael Hobbs explained, “Our members here from WSP Textiles are here today to put our message across to the people that watch this professional sport, and let them be aware that these skilled members that are stood over here in the cold are here for a reason.

“It’s the first time in the history of WSP that we’ve been in dispute. But a time comes when our workers, our members, have had enough and they want to put a message across to the employers. They want fair pay.”

Unite is demanding that WSP take notice. It’s time to come back to the table with a serious, fair pay offer.

Unite is calling on fellow union members and the public to stand with Gloucestershire’s skilled textile workers as they demand fair pay, and sign the petition backing the workers.

You can sign the petition here. 

By Keith Hatch
Photo and film by Jake Roberts – Regional Digital Assistant Unite South West