Media Unions

National Union of Journalists (NUJ), print unions, broadcast unions

Industrial news in brief

Unison members in Doncaster are now on their 57th day of strike action as part of action against Care UK who cut wages by up to 35%. They will be on strike until 14 September, and have pickets every day at 7am outside Care UK’s Doncaster office, as well as trips to picket offices in other cities and to speak at meetings. The strikers are also currently having weekly members’ meetings to discuss the dispute. Ritzy workers reject offer In a ballot closing on 26 August, Ritzy cinema workers have voted to reject an offer by management, by 24 votes to 23. On their Facebook page workers said: “We...

Industrial news in brief

Power control workers on London Underground began an eight-day strike on Tuesday 1 July. Workers are resisting attacks on terms and conditions, and want conditions for formerly-outsourced workers to be levelled-up. Members of the RMT, TSSA, and Unite unions are participating in the strike. London Underground station staff are also discussing the possibility of taking further action in their ongoing jobs dispute, as talks have found LU bosses desperate to weasel out of a commitment they made not to cut pay for workers affected by their planned reorganisation of the staffing model. The RMT union...

Boycott Picturehouse!

Cinema workers’ union BECTU has called for a national boycott of Picturehouse Cinemas until they agree a pay deal with workers at The Ritzy in Brixton, South London who are striking to win the London Living Wage. Picturehouse Cinema bosses pulled out of talks with BECTU and unilaterally imposed a 4% pay deal, which still leaves almost all staff paid below the poverty line. Ritzy workers’ sixth strike, on Saturday 7 June, saw solidarity actions at Picturehouse Cinemas elsewhere in London. Actor, documentary maker, and one-time footballer Eric Cantona joined the Brixton Ritzy workers as they...

Ritzy workers call for boycott

Workers at The Ritzy, the Picturehouse Cinema in Brixton, South London, have been striking over the company's refusal to pay staff the London Living Wage. The company likes to portray itself as progressive and radical, nurturing independent talent and the arts — yet nothing could be further from the truth. Picturehouses sold to Cineworld in 2012, netting Managing Director Lyn Goleby £9 million, and the group made £31 million in profits. Yet they say they cannot afford to pay a living wage to their staff. This week, the company declared war on workers at The Ritzy by pulling out of peace talks...

Cinema workers strike again

Workers at the Ritzy cinema in south London will strike again on Wednesday 21 May from 5 p.m. The workers, who are members of BECTU, have undertaken a sustained campaign of strikes, protests, rallies, and other actions, to win the London Living Wage. A similar campaign of BECTU members at the Curzon cinema in Soho was recently given an official award by the union at its 2014 AGM.

Industrial news in brief

Workers at the Ritzy cinema in Brixton, London are balloting for more strikes. The campaign is gathering momentum but management are still refusing to negotiate on demands for the London Living Wage. Workers have struck three times in the last three weeks. Students support Lambeth College strike The dispute at Lambeth College between workers and management continues. UCU members at the college are fighting against reduced terms and conditions for new workers, as well as threats to the conditions of current staff. Staff went on what was planned to be an indefinite strike on 1 May, but a court...

Industrial news in brief

Workers at The Ritzy Cinema, Brixton, struck for the second time on Friday 18 April and Saturday 19 April, part of an escalating campaign of action for the Living Wage. The picket line, timed to coincide with the release of The Amazing Spiderman 2, was lively and well attended. The energetic picket activity included a kids’ club, face painting, break dancing, music and Spiderman himself. The BECTU strikers successfully closed the cinema for the second time, for the entire duration of the strike. Brixton, Lambeth, is in the midst of an acute, and worsening, housing crisis with house prices and...

Industrial news in brief

Cinema workers at the Ritzy cinema in Brixton have announced 11 April as the date for the first strike in their dispute over pay. Members of BECTU at the cinema have conducted a long-running campaign to win the London Living Wage of £8.80 an hour. The typical hourly rate at the Ritzy is currently £7.24. Workers voted to strike by an 85% majority. Sparks win contract fight Electricians working at a Network Rail construction site in Three Bridges, Sussex won new contracts following a wildcat strike on 4 April. Following attempts by the agency through with they were employed to worsen their terms...

Industrial news in brief

Workers at the Ritzy Cinema in Brixton, south London, have voted by an 85% majority to strike to win the London Living Wage. Ritzy workers have waged a long-running battle for the pay increase, but Picturehouse Cinemas, the chain that runs the Ritzy, has so far remained intransigent, to the point of banning local publication Brixton Bugle from the cinema for running an article supporting the workers. The workers are members of BECTU, which represents workers in theatres, cinemas, and the television industry. Lambeth College strike Members of the University and College Union (UCU) at Lambeth...

Industrial news in brief

The “Fast Food Rights” campaign, launched at a meeting on 8 January and involving the Bakers, Food, and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU), plans a day of direct action on Saturday 15 February. For more information, see here . Curzon Cinema workers win union recognition fight Workers at the Curzon cinema chain have won their battle for union recognition. Curzon bosses signed an agreement with the Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre Union (BECTU) on Monday 13 January which means the company will have to bargain collectively with its employees on issues of pay, terms, and conditions...

This website uses cookies, you can find out more and set your preferences here.
By continuing to use this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.