During Eurovision week (8 May to 13 May) in Liverpool, Unite, the UK’s leading union, will launch a drive to win fair treatment and pay for the city’s hospitality workers with a number of events.
Next week, Liverpool will see a huge influx of visitors as it hosts the Eurovision Song Contest, bringing in millions of extra revenue for the city’s hospitality industry. While Eurovision is a cause for celebration in Liverpool, low paid workers in bars, restaurants and hotels will face a huge increase in workloads.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said:
“Liverpool’s hospitality employers will be taking full advantage of the boom in custom during Eurovision. Meanwhile, the low pay and insecure work hospitality staff suffer will continue, with no share in the rewards reaped by the contest, despite them bearing the brunt of the extra work.
“That’s why during Eurovision and after it, Unite will be helping Liverpool’s hospitality workers to organise collectively. Unite is intent on giving them the tools and support they need to force employers into addressing their concerns and paying a proper living wage.”
UnionVision is being launched during Eurovision week as part of Unite’s drive for Liverpool hospitality workers to be paid at least the Real Living Wage of £10.90 per hour. Unite is also working to ensure hospitality workers in the city to be on secure contracts, to receive 100 per cent of their tips and be free from sexual harassment and abuse.
Unite hospitality organiser Caitlin Lee said:
“Unite is concerned that employers will use Eurovision as an opportunity to grab the extra millions the competition will bring in, but pass nothing on to their workers but more pressure and worse working conditions.
“It does not have to be this way – Eurovision is a chance for employers to raise their game and show the world they are leading the way in treating workers fairly. Unite calls on them to grant the union access to workplaces to ensure this happens.”
