The owner of Brixton’s Ritzy cinema today performed a dramatic u-turn, axing controversial plans to sack a third of its workforce which had triggered a boycott and public protests.
Just two days ago, Picturehouse warned staff that as many as 34 jobs were at risk due to higher costs after the success of a staff campaign to convince the Ritzy to take their pay up 21 per cent to £8.80, the current London Living Wage.
News of the potential sackings prompted a public boycott and campaigning from high-profile figures such as the writer Will Self. Now bosses have backed down and said no one working at the Brixton cinema will face redundancy.
Cineworld’s chief executive Mooky Greidinger today spoke out on the issue for the first time, telling the Standard: “Group management was not aware of plans to enter consultations for redundancies at The Ritzy, which is managed by Picturehouse. I am now making this a group matter and I have decided together with Picturehouse management to put an end to the consultation process.”
