Living Wage - be careful what you wish for!

[Gonzo Mackem]

Cinema business set to sack 25% of staff after they won right to be paid the Living Wage: Cinema workers who won a campaign to adopt the London Living Wage have been told that a quarter of the workforce is now facing the sack. Picturehouse Cinemas said that the cost of increasing basic wages at the Ritzy Cinema in Brixton to £8.80 an hour would be absorbed by reducing the number of staff by at least 20, with a redundancy programme starting next month. Two management posts will be axed along with eight supervisors, three technical staff and other front-of-house workers from its workforce of 93. BECTU, the union that represents cinema staff, described the move, which came after a year of strikes and negotiations, as a “kick in the teeth”. The union is now preparing to ballot its workers on a further round of strikes at the popular arthouse cinema.

 

[RTRsBM]

Fuckers are using it as an excuse. A boycott of the shithole should be organised v

 

[Gonzo Mackem]

Fuckers are using it as an excuse. A boycott of the shithole should be organised v

Seems more spiteful tbh

 

[Top Of The Goths]

This story retrospectively validates my pirating of films for the last decade

 

[chunkyshanhawk53]

Maybe they can't afford it?

 

[Gonzo Mackem]

This story retrospectively validates my pirating of films for the last decade

Or highlights how your actions drive people onto the dole

 

[Top Of The Goths]

Or highlights how your actions drive people onto the dole

My pirating of hollywood blockbusters had no influence the living wage IMO

 

[JAZZMANB]

Similar to Lloyds job cuts,saving to put aside for more PPI claims

My pirating of hollywood blockbusters had no influence the living wage IMO

Its a massive business from Bradd pitt to the lad working in Amazon despatch,how do you not think it has no influence? bearing in mind you are one of many

 

[Gonzo Mackem]

My pirating of hollywood blockbusters had no influence the living wage IMO

But the pirating of hollywood blockbusters does impact on cinema capacities, thus profits and therefore their ability to pay the living wage

 

[AndrewP]

Cinema business set to sack 25% of staff after they won right to be paid the Living Wage: Cinema workers who won a campaign to adopt the London Living Wage have been told that a quarter of the workforce is now facing the sack. Picturehouse Cinemas said that the cost of increasing basic wages at the Ritzy Cinema in Brixton to £8.80 an hour would be absorbed by reducing the number of staff by at least 20, with a redundancy programme starting next month. Two management posts will be axed along with eight supervisors, three technical staff and other front-of-house workers from its workforce of 93. BECTU, the union that represents cinema staff, described the move, which came after a year of strikes and negotiations, as a “kick in the teeth”. The union is now preparing to ballot its workers on a further round of strikes at the popular arthouse cinema.

If they are able run with 25% less staff they'd have done it anyway, living wage or no living wage. If they can't run with 25% less staff they'll end up taking on more. Either way, it's obviously total bollocks, much like a so called living wage at that level.

 

[Top Of The Goths]

Similar to Lloyds job cuts,saving to put aside for more PPI claims


Its a massive business from Bradd pitt to the lad working in Amazon despatch,how do you not think it has no influence? bearing in mind you are one of many

I don't see the link tbh. Just like dealing drugs IMO. No knock on effect at all

 

[Cowvahlo]

Maybe they can't afford it?

Exactly, people view businesses as a bottomless pit of money.

It's simple maths isn't it, if you can't afford increased overheads then you've got to make cuts.

 

[JAZZMANB]

If they are able run with 25% less staff they'd have done it anyway, living wage or no living wage. If they can't run with 25% less staff they'll end up taking on more. Either way, it's obviously total bollocks, much like a so called living wage at that level.

Or they won't manage and service will suffer and they will terminally decline,its simple numbers if they were only in it for greed they would have had the 75% workforce at minimum wage surely?

 

[kensplace]

Maybe they can't afford it?

They are a corporation owning 20 cinema's who were also bought out or heavily invested in by cineworld.
Im pretty sure they can easily afford to pay it, infact they should be paying all their staff it - seeing as a tribunal has ruled they have to in one cinema the rest should have to follow...

 

[JAZZMANB]

I don't see the link tbh. Just like dealing drugs IMO. No knock on effect at all

You cant see link between knicking films and cinema attendance but can between knicking films and drugs? bizzare

 

[kensplace]

Or they won't manage and service will suffer and they will terminally decline,its simple numbers if they were only in it for greed they would have had the 75% workforce at minimum wage surely?

I see it more as a warning shot to the other 19 cinema's staff.
Warning them not to go the same route (as they would win) via tribunal or we will fire lots of you.
edit to add :also probably a warning aimed at the rest of the cineworld groups staff...

 

[AndrewP]

Or they won't manage and service will suffer and they will terminally decline,its simple numbers if they were only in it for greed they would have had the 75% workforce at minimum wage surely?

Exactly, the excuse they're using is pathetic.

 

[JAZZMANB]

They are a corporation owning 20 cinema's who were also bought out or heavily invested in by cineworld.
Im pretty sure they can easily afford to pay it, infact they should be paying all their staff it - seeing as a tribunal has ruled they have to in one cinema the rest should have to follow...

Have you not been around when all the high street households names disappeared overnight?who knows what they can afford? i was at the cinema on Thursday and there was 15 of us watching a film

 

[AndrewP]

I see it more as a warning shot to the other 19 cinema's staff.
Warning them not to go the same route (as they would win) via tribunal or we will fire lots of you.

Sounds like that to me. I don't know the full story, but how would a tribunal be able to dictate wages above the NMW in the first place?

 

[JAZZMANB]

Exactly, the excuse they're using is pathetic.

so you agree with me now? im lost!!