Union members at the Ritzy Cinema, Brixton, have announced they will strike on Friday April 11 in their ongoing struggle with the cinema’s owners to be paid the London Living Wage.
In a ballot that closed on Monday afternoon, 85 per cent of BECTU union members voted in favour of striking.
Staff are lobbying bosses to bring their hourly rate in line with the London Living Wage, currently set at £8.80.
BECTU supervisory official, Willy Donaghy, said: “It is disappointing that we have been forced to take strike action to ensure that members at the Ritzy get paid a Living Wage, but despite our best endeavours during protracted negotiations, strike action is now necessary.
“We have also told the company that we are prepared to consider an improved offer that reaches the LLW.
Picturehouses management have been critical at the prospect of strike action saying: “It is important that everyone has their say, but industrial action will not speed up the process towards better pay for everyone – in fact it could well hinder our aims for this.”
Last week bosses at the Ritzy banned the April issue of the Bugle for covering the dispute.
