Brixton Ritzy staff in pay dispute for London Living Wage with Picturehouse Cinemas

[Gramsci]

I went down to see the Ritzy workers on strike today (Sunday about 5pm). The Ritzy workers on strike told me that the mge have kept the cinema open using a limited number of staff from head office. So its not that the workforce are divided on the strike. Looks to me that most people are not using the cinema on strike days. The bar and cinema looked fairly empty. So people are supporting the strike.

Some pics.

 

[Gramsci]

Unlike like the last round of strikes the mge have not put barriers up with extra security. Clearly the learnt this was a PR mistake.

When I was there people were turning up. After talking to the strikers they left.

Living Wage is something everyone should get.

 

[editor]

Fundraiser & auction tomorrow

Ritzy workers fundraiser at the Brixton Windmill, Weds 23rd Nov. Great bands and brilliant items up for auction!

 

[shakespearegirl]

I received this email from Picture House this morning, what a crock of shit..

Blaming striking workers for not being able to put Star Wars tickets for Brixton on sale..

Today Rogue One: A Star Wars Story has gone on sale at Picturehouse cinemas around the country. In order to minimise the inconvenience to customers in the event of industrial action, we will be putting Rogue One on sale at the Ritzy at a later date. We will announce the on-sale date in due course, via our emails and across the Ritzy social channels.

We have scheduled extra screenings of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story at Picturehouse Central, Clapham Picturehouse and East Dulwich Picturehouse should you wish to book tickets today.

We are one of the highest paying companies in the cinema industry and offer a wide range of benefits. We have also paid substantially more than the minimum wage for over twelve years. We are disappointed therefore, by the decision of a small number of staff who, despite being in the minority, voted for strike action.

 

[editor]

I received this email from Picture House this morning, what a crock of shit..

Blaming striking workers for not being able to put Star Wars tickets for Brixton on sale..

Today Rogue One: A Star Wars Story has gone on sale at Picturehouse cinemas around the country. In order to minimise the inconvenience to customers in the event of industrial action, we will be putting Rogue One on sale at the Ritzy at a later date. We will announce the on-sale date in due course, via our emails and across the Ritzy social channels.

We have scheduled extra screenings of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story at Picturehouse Central, Clapham Picturehouse and East Dulwich Picturehouse should you wish to book tickets today.

We are one of the highest paying companies in the cinema industry and offer a wide range of benefits. We have also paid substantially more than the minimum wage for over twelve years. We are disappointed therefore, by the decision of a small number of staff who, despite being in the minority, voted for strike action.

Right weaselly, innit?

 

[editor]

Here's the items up for the auction (so far, I'm still working on more!):

• Dulwich Hamlet: 4 tickets for any game this season
• Brixton Dogstar: Pizza plus beer for 2
• Brixton Lounge: Meal for two
• Railway Tulse Hill: Sunday lunch for two, with a bottle of house wine
• Brixton Shrub & Shutter: Two cocktails each for two people
• Prince Albert: A case of Beck’s 24 bottles plus bottle of top notch tequila (available on the night)
• Two hours free work by a qualified electrician in the Brixton area

 

[editor]

Good turn out last night.

In photos: Ritzy striking workers fundraiser at the Brixton Windmill

 

[Gramsci]

Ritzy workers will be on strike from 2pm today.

 

[Gramsci]

The walkout will be stàff at four Picture House cinemas. Crouch End,Picture House Central, Hackney and the Ritzy.

 

[editor]

More here: Ritzy workers join the largest cinema workers strike in UK history today, Sat 11th Feb

I'll pop down shortly.

 

[Gramsci]

 

[Gramsci]

 

[editor]

Some pics from today:

In photos: Brixton Ritzy workers take part in ‘largest ever cinema workers strike’

 

[Gramsci]

I went up to West End so took some photos of the strike at Picture House Central. The Picture house central cinema by Piccadilly Circus

 

[Gramsci]

There were less people on the picket line. This is for legal reasons. Picture House giving them a hard time. Maximum of six.

 

[Gramsci]

Unlike Ritzy the Picture House Central was open.

 

[Gramsci]

Ritzy workers will have demo this Saturday in Leicester Square.

 

[Gramsci]

Details
Every year at the end of February Hollywood honours the year’s best films and those who made them. But this year we want to celebrate the Oscars with the people at the other end of the cinema business - Sold out screenings, a constant flow of popcorn followed by stacks of cups and empty packets afterwards - Oscar season is a busy one for cinema workers, the Hidden Figures.

Whilst we all do our best to be as charming and magical as Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone when dishing out the popcorn and sliding beers across the bar, our pay packet is a far cry from the big bucks of Hollywood.

But we aren't asking for a million dollars. We just want enough to keep on living in the Big City. The London Living Wage is something union members of Picturehouse have been pushing for since 2014. The campaign has been growing ever since, now with four sites out on strike! Picturehouse and Cineworld are working very hard to crush our campaign and all we get from them in the way of negotiation is Silence.

So we’re having to make a song and dance about it.

Join us for a demo on the 25th of February!

Cineworld, who own Picturehouse, have recently bought the Empire Cinema in the centre of Leicester Square, which we though would be perfect for our Arrival. Then we will take a tour of a few other of the companies cinema hot spots in the west end.

Come Hell or High Water, the campaign will go on until our employers award their workers union recognition, commit to a more ethical pay scheme and pay their workers a Living Wage. Because every worker deserves enough to live comfortably on. Every worker.

 

[Gramsci]

They are now asking for people to boycott Picture House /Cineworld cinemas.

 

[Winot]

Good to see Helen Hayes backing campaign:

MP Helen Hayes back Ritzy campaign with Commons motion

 

[editor]

Full boycott called. Boycott called for all Picturehouse and Cineworld Cinemas including the Brixton Ritzy

 

[CH1]

In case anyone is interested in the big picture about Cineworld, this came up on Citywire today:
Not stated if they pay a dividend, but you are dealing here with a company currently valued on the stock market at £1.7 billion with almost 10,000 employees.

 

[SpamMisery]

Is a pretax profit of £80m a lot for a company of that value? Doesnt sound very high but ive no frame of reference.

 

[editor]

In case anyone is interested in the big picture about Cineworld, this came up on Citywire today:
View attachment 101965 Not stated if they pay a dividend, but you are dealing here with a company currently valued on the stock market at £1.7 billion with almost 10,000 employees.

Looks like they're doing very nicely indeed. Certainly well enough to pay their staff a decent wage.

 

[CH1]

Is a pretax profit of £80m a lot for a company of that value? Doesnt sound very high but ive no frame of reference.

Maybe this will help? (from the Cineworld website for investors)

They seem to be a very acquisitive company - so probably profits are low due to buying more cinema chains such as Empire etc.

from the report:
Key Financial Highlights
Group revenue growth of 13.0% on a statutory basis and 8.7% on a constant currency basis(1);
Solid UK & Ireland revenue growth of 6.0%;
Strong ROW(4) revenue growth of 26.6% on a statutory basis and 13.3% on a constant currency basis with record performances in Poland, Romania, Hungary and Czech Republic;
EBITDA double digit growth of 13.2%, 8.4% on a constant currency basis;
Adjusted profit after tax increased by 18.3% to £93.8m;
Statutory profit after tax increased 0.9% to £82.0m5;
Adjusted diluted EPS growth of 16.8% to 34.7p;
Final dividend increased by 8.6% to 19.0p;
Net cash generated from operating activities of £150.1m (2015: £165.9m), and
Net debt increased to £282.3m due to the acquisition of five Empire cinemas compared to £245.2m at 31 December 2015 with EBITDA to net debt ratio remaining at 1.6 times.

 

[SpamMisery]

Still only generated £150m. Guess I dont understand business

 

[T & P]

I wouldn't know how to start to calculate the figure but my guess is that the extra cost of increasing the salaries of anyone in their payroll currently earning less than the LLW to that level would still leave the company with an extremely fat healthy profit.

 

[Southlondon]

I wouldn't know how to start to calculate the figure but my guess is that the extra cost of increasing the salaries of anyone in their payroll currently earning less than the LLW to that level would still leave the company with an extremely fat healthy profit.

Doesn't it work out at £8000 per employee based on 10,000. That should be plenty to bring everyone up to a living wage, plus some spare. It makes me sick that while the tories talk about council housing being "tax payer subsidised housing,", yet they ignore the fact that we are all subsidising businesses while they pay wages so low, their employees can't even afford rent and basics without tax payer assistance.
If a business can't afford to pay living wages, they shouldn't be in business in the first place.
How about a law to prevent any shareholder or director dividends being paid out, or salary increases in the boardroom, until living wages are achieved for all employees?

 

[editor]

Great news:

EAST DULWICH PICTUREHOUSE VOTE TO STRIKE!

The ballot is in and East Dulwich Picturehouse have achieved a 94% turnout and an 88% yes vote.

There are now 6 Picturehouse cinemas on strike!

The force grows stronger

Hope you're paying attention Mooky and Cineworld Cinemas!

A Living Wage for Ritzy Staff

 

[CH1]

Nobody seems to have spotted this full-page article in the Standard on Tuesday
Investors hold the key as Picturehouse wage strikes intensify

Apart from summarising the situation, the article does suggest this might become an issue at the company's AGM on May 18th.

Of course the days of concerned shareholder protest are long gone (it was 1995 when GMB union members took Cedric the Pig along to a British Gas shareholder's meeting to meet his namesake Cedric Brown who had just had a pay rise to the then shocking figure of £475,000 p.a.)

The Cineworld AGM is at 10.30 am on Thursday 18th May in Southside Cineworld (see notice below). Obviously interested parties with banners etc can demonstrate outside - but to get in would require purchasing a share - normally shareholder meetings are marshalled by the registrar (in this case Capita Registrars of Beckenham).