Serving up solidarity in East Anglia

Hospitality workers across the east of England are being invited to wake up and smell the coffee as the region launched a new Unite Hospitality branch.

The Unite Hospitality East Anglia Branch was launched last month and drew in lots of new members whilst also holding branch elections. The new branch team are raring to go and all eager to get the Unite training available that will give them the skills to support the branch in their respective roles.

Branch Sec Lily Pawsey said, “The East Anglia Hospitality branch launch was a huge success! Now the branch is up and running we can start on making meaningful change.”

The branch aims to focus on two main campaigns that it hopes will resonate with hospitality workers across the region and show the importance of being in a union.

Lily explained, “The first of the two main campaigns that we are focusing on at the moment is the ‘Get Me Home Safely’ which aims to encourage local councils and employers to work together to ensure workers travelling home late at night can do so in a safe manner.

“One of our first things on the agenda is to put forward ‘Get Me Home Safe’ to Norwich Council and we’re very hopeful that we can see meaningful change very soon.

“Secondly is our ‘Fair Tips’ campaign which is the aim of raising awareness with hospitality workers and businesses around the change in legislation scheduled for the 1st of October 2024.” 

The Fair Tips campaign runs of 5 main key points:

1 – 100% Tips. making sure workers get all their tips, no deductions, no corners cut.

2 – Fairness. Ensuring tips are shared fairly

3 – Transparency. No new tip policy can be implemented without the workers full consent and making sure all tips are accounted for

4 -No Delays. Workers must get their tips at the end of the following month.

5 – Democracy. Fairness should be determined by the workers. Not the bosses.

However, though these are the campaigns that they will be running, the main priority for the new Unite branch is organising and growing the branch. They want to reach out to more hospitality workers in East Anglia in order to improve conditions and pay across the sector. The branch also aims to reach out to other local organisations and community campaigns to see how they can support each other.

Lily encouraged everyone in the local hospitality sector to think about joining the new branch and getting active.

Lily said, “Whether you’re in hospitality for a short period or making it a full time career, we can make it a better and more sustainable industry to work in by coming together and building union power, to lead the way forward.

“If you are working in hospitality at the moment and want to improve you and your colleagues’ work life then don’t hesitate, please get in touch!”

To find out more check out the branch’s Facebook page.

By Keith Hatch