// Harrods restaurant workers win 25% pay rise after strike threat action
// The United Voices of the World union said the deal meant a “new benchmark for pay in the hospitality sector”
// Harrods said the pay rise is not linked to the threat of strike action
Harrods restaurant workers have won a 25 per cent pay increase, which has averted the threatened strike action ahead of Christmas.
The United Voices of the World union (UVW), which represents waiters and chefs at the Knightsbridge department store, said the deal represented a “new benchmark for pay in the hospitality sector”.
Some Harrods workers are in line for £5000 extra in annual pay, with some chefs now earning more than £12.50 an hour.
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The union said early last month that it would ballot staff about a potential strike over poor pay and a heavy workload for staff after job cuts.
“We’re proud to set a new benchmark for the sector, a sector notorious for poverty pay and appalling conditions,” UVW general secretary, Petros Elia said.
“This is affirmation of the power of organised and strike-ready workers – this remains the biggest and most powerful tool in workers’ arsenal today.
“The fight does not stop here: we are now talking with retail staff to ensure they are not left behind. We’ve been saying it’s time for £12 and now that time has arrived.”
Harrods has previously said that the rise in pay is not linked to the threat of union action. Instead, the increase came after three months of reviews.
The retailer said in a statement: “This has been entirely driven by ongoing discussions and work internally with our restaurant colleagues, and at no point during this three-month process have we engaged with a third party.
“We are consistently reviewing our pay policies to ensure we continue to attract and retain the best talent.”
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