Skip to main content

Striking pub workers claim victory as sacked workers reinstated

WORKERS at the Ivy House pub in south London won a major victory today after three days of strike action brought about the reinstatement of four workers.

Bar staff at the pub in Nunhead, south-east London, downed tools at the start of Sunday service.

The workers, who belong to the Bakers, Food & Allied Workers Union (BFAWU), accused their bosses of unfairly sacking four colleagues for attempting to unionise their workplace.

After having handed in a request for union recognition to the pub’s management committee the previous week, which was met with silence, four union members were sacked without explanation on Wednesday September 26.

Workers then organised the action that began on Sunday, with members of the local community coming out to support the pickets.

The strike has seen the pub temporarily close, locals criticising the venue’s management online and promoters and musicians cancelling their regular events in solidarity with the staff.

The Star understands the workers handed a “final offer” to management which demanded that managers recognise the union.

Alongside asking management to offer a formal recognition receipt to BFAWU, staff also demanded that management “begin the process” of offering all current and future staff the option of fixed-hours contracts instead of zero-hours contracts.

By 4pm today the pub agreed to reinstate workers and offer all current and future staff a fixed-hours option.

Ivy House worker Amardeep Singh Dillon said he felt elated at the victory. He told the Star: “We are all incredibly glad the managerial committee have listened and we all feel much more comfortable with a more open dialogue with management now.

“They accepted our requests and we all feel thrilled to bits about getting our union recognised.

“We’ve been blown away by the support from Twitter, BFAWU, Unite and from workers all across the country — and even in Sweden.

“If we hadn’t heard of union action in other places, it would have been much more difficult to think about turning out.

“It’s proof of what you can get when you have a workplace that believes in its own ability to organise and I think our result is a real testament to the power and relevance of trade unions.”

OWNED BY OUR READERS

We're a reader-owned co-operative, which means you can become part of the paper too by buying shares in the People’s Press Printing Society.

 

 

Become a supporter

Fighting fund

You've Raised:£ 13,288
We need:£ 4,712
3 Days remaining
Donate today