Venue denies ex-employee's charges of 'victimisation'

The Glee comedy club is at the centre of a dispute about workers’ rights after being accused of blocking its staff's attempts to unionise.

Unite has alleged the company threatened workers who wanted to form a collective bargaining group with disciplinary action and even dismissal, labelling it ‘blatant trade union victimisation’.

However, Glee bosses strongly deny the accusation, saying the only disciplinary action under way is for unrelated issues raised by a regulator.

Some staff at the Cardiff club attempted to unionise after raising a number of complaints, primarily about the cancellation of shifts at short notice – particularly when bosses decided to close the club on the night the Queen died.

They also raised health and safety concerns, including a claim that they had no hot water to wash their hands, which bosses deny.

A group of workers asked for union recognition from Glee owners, Comic Enterprises Ltd in January, but were rejected. One former bar manager whose name was on the petition has said she has not asked back for shifts since. She made further allegations of workers being summoned to ‘union busting’ meetings.

BREAKING

Leading @unitetheunion members at @GleeClubCardiff are now being threatened with disciplinary action and even dismissal, a matter of days after we lodged a petition for recognition.

This is blatant trade union victimisation and it will not be tolerated. pic.twitter.com/SDWayV2i9h

— Unite Hospitality (@FairHospitality) March 8, 2023

But in a statement to Chortle, Comic Enterprises said: ‘There has been absolutely no victimisation or intimidation of staff, and no staff have been dismissed. No staff have been threatened with disciplinary action due to union membership.’

The question of whether staff should be unionised  – allowing Unite to collectively bargain on pay and conditions – depends on whether that’s the wish of a majority of workers, and in the Glee case, the numbers are disputed.  In such instances, the government’s Central Arbitration Committee makes the decision. It last month accepted the union’s application but has not yet handed down a ruling.

The dispute was triggered when Unite members – which the union claims represents 90 per cent of workers at the Cardiff Glee – submitted formal grievances late last year.

They included:

• Not being paid for the full shift that was cancelled following the Queen’s death. Separately it has been claimed that head office chose to pull the gigs that night, even as many audience members were already at the venue.
• Only getting a few hours notice of losing their shifts when comedians pull their shows.
• Blaming ‘poor planning’ on shows being added at the last minute, putting demands on staff, especially managers, to work extra hours, at the expense of their personal life.

But the dispute has become increasingly bitter with the accusations of union-busting, made semi-anonymously by the former bar manager this weekend.

On Saturday, Unite Hospitality tweeted: ‘Workers @GleeClubCardiff are pushing for @unitetheunion recognition to win better pay, contracts and a safer workplace. No amount of victimisation and intimidation will stop them.’

And Shavanah Taj, the General Secretary of Wales TUC added: ‘In a country that aspires to be a fair work nation, it's utterly shameful, to hear anti-worker, outright intimidation from @GleeClubCardiff treating their staff in this appalling manner. Time you listen to @UniteWales, work in social partnership to improve conditions for workers.’

A Glee spokesman told Chortle they accepted some shifts had been changed at short notice, particularly in the wake of the pandemic, but this was no longer an issue.

In their statement, they said: ‘We had a number of events cancelled or rescheduled at short notice due to the effects of the pandemic, which meant the staff's shifts were regrettably changed at short notice.

‘However, there have been no further instances of this in Cardiff for over four months.We have had a significant net increase in shows and therefore hours offered since the end of the lockdowns.’

Of other complaints about failing equipment, they said: ‘The company takes its health and safety responsibilities very seriously. Well known and undeniable severe supply chain issues following the pandemic meant some repairs regrettably took longer than usual. Staff have always had hot water hand-washing facilities available to them. We have never operated in contravention of any regulations, and all repairs have now been completed.’

They also said they were ‘actively engaged’ in discussions with Unite regarding recognition at Cardiff.

Their statement said: ‘As it has thus far been impossible to establish whether this proposal has genuine support, we have now asked for an anonymous ballot to be undertaken, under the supervision of ACAS. We totally respect the wish of the majority, once this can be established.’

‘We strive to be a fair and respectful employer, and we have a long history of doing so, including currently paying above the Real Living Wage, as well as operating a bonus scheme for all hourly bar, floor and kitchen staff.

‘We also made no part-time staff redundant during the pandemic, unlike many hospitality businesses. Since January, the company has a new chief operating officer, a new operations manager, and a new Cardiff venue manager, and we have every confidence in their ability to continue a meaningful dialogue with the staff, and maintain a co-operative working environment moving forward.’

Unite Wales did not respond to Chortle’s request for further comment and the dispute does not involve any of the Glee’s other venues.

Published: 19 Apr 2023