Picturehouse Cinemas has threatened to sack striking workers ahead of a planned walk-out over pay at five London cinemas.
Workers represented by the union Bectu have announced plans to disrupt the British Film Institute’s London film festival between 4 and 15 October, with nine days of strike action over the period in a dispute over the living wage and other rights, including sick pay.
However, as the dispute enters a second year, the cinema chain has rejected the claim that the strike action is valid.
“Any employee taking part in those strikes is likely to be dismissed,” lawyers representing Picturehouse said in a letter sent to Bectu and seen by the Guardian.
The union said workers would strike at five London cinemas – the Ritzy in Brixton, Hackney Picturehouse, Crouch End Picturehouse, East Dulwich Picturehouse, and Picturehouse Central.
Obi Saiq, one of the striking workers at Hackney Picturehouse, said: “We are striking for a wage that we can live on and for basic rights at work – and until Picturehouse negotiates with us, which they haven’t done in over a year of strike action, we have no choice but to fight. Our strike action will go ahead, and we expect to significantly disrupt the London film festival.”
Bectu claims that Picturehouse and its owner, Cineworld, refuse to negotiate on demands for the London living wage, company sick pay for all, maternity, paternity and adoption pay, and the reinstatement of four sacked union reps at the Ritzy.
“Picturehouse management know they have no legal grounds to stop the proposed strike action during the London film festival and have now resorted to threatening their own staff,” said Gerry Morrissey, general secretary of Bectu.
“We will not be bullied and we will robustly defend any legal action. If the Picturehouse management are confident that they are paying the living wage why have they not signed up as a living wage employer? We challenge them to do so.”
The London living wage is calculated by an independent body, the Living Wage Foundation, and is £9.75 an hour.
A spokesperson for Cineworld said: “This is an issue for Picturehouse and its management team and we hope that the dispute is resolved as quickly as possible.”
Picturehouse did not respond to the Guardian’s request for comment on Sunday, but in a statement on 20 September on its website, it said: “Front-of-house staff at London Picturehouses are paid £9.30 per hour, equivalent to £9.92 per hour when working an eight-hour shift as we choose to pay for breaks.
“Staff at The Ritzy Picturehouse London are represented by Bectu and agreed a rate of £9.10 per hour – equivalent to £9.70 with a paid break – from 2 September 2016.”
The British Film Institute has previously said it supported the Picturehouse workers’ call for payment of the London living wage, which it paid its own employees.
