Workers at TGI Friday’s restaurants in Milton Keynes (Stadium) and Covent Garden, London take their first ever strike action on Friday 18 May in a dispute over tips and minimum wage abuses which could cost waiting staff £250 a month in lost wages.

The workers, members of Unite, Britain’s biggest union, voted by 100 per cent, on a 75 per cent turnout to walk out.

The American dining chain, which has 81 restaurants in the UK, will be hit with a series of 24 hour strikes starting on Friday 18 May and continuing over consecutive Friday’s during the summer.

The dispute arose when the company introduced a new tipping policy with only two days’ notice which would see money earned by the waiting staff redirected to top up the low wages of kitchen staff, a move driven by the need to stop the high turnover of kitchen staff. The move means waiting staff can lose up to £65 per week from their wage packets.

With industrial action ballots at four more restaurants currently underway, and more planned, the restaurant chain is facing a summer of major disruption as the chain’s world-class waiters and waitresses stop work.

The ballot results of workers at TGI Friday’s restaurants in the Trafford Centre, Manchester and Haymarket in London Piccadilly are due on Friday 11 May 2018, with the vote by workers at two restaurants in Gateshead Metro Newcastle and in Enfield, greater London closing on Friday 18 May 2018.

Unite regional officer Dave Turnbull said: “Given this over-whelming vote for action, TGI’s outrageous wage grab has clearly caused the workforce to say ‘enough’.

“TGI’s has been sent a loud message that our members will not be bullied and shoved into pay poverty. If TGI’s wants to look at how it can reward kitchen staff, then work with us on a fair solution – not implement an overnight wage grab where Peter has been robbed to pay Paul.

“Our members are also deeply offended by the company’s attempts to make out that they don’t want to share when the reality is that TGI’s don’t want to give kitchen staff a properly funded pay rise. TGI’s staffing problems are being caused by its poor pay policy, not poorly paid workers.

“TGI Friday’s management has handled this issue badly from the start. Our members are facing real hardship, losing as much as £250 a month from the tip policy change, but the company refuses to meet with workers or listen to their concerns.

“If they carry on like this then they will destroy the workforce’s trust and consumer confidence simultaneously.

“We urge TGI Friday’s to working with us to find a better way forward. We are ready to talk to find a sensible solution to this dispute but TGI Friday’s must recognise the distress and hardship its decision has caused, and start rebuilding trust.

“In the meantime, we ask TGI customers to support the waiting staff and tip in cash.”

ENDS

For more information please contact, Unite campaigns officer Chantal Chegrinec on 07774146777

Twitter: @unitetheunion
Facebook: unitetheunion1

Note to editors:

First and second industrial action ballots locations: opened 18 April, closed 1 May 2018.

TGI Fridays, 16 Stadium Way, G1 & G2 MK1 Leisure Park, Milton Keynes, MK1 1ST and

TGI Fridays, 6 Bedford Street, London, WC2E 9HZ

Third and fourth industrial action ballots locations – opened 27 April, closes 17 May 2018.

TGI Fridays, The Great Hall, Trafford Centre, Manchester, M17 8AA and

TGI Fridays, 25-29 Coventry Street, London, W1D 7AG.

Fifth and sixth industrial action ballots locations - opened 4 May, closes 18 May 2018.

TGI Fridays, 200 Southbury Road, Enfield Leisure Park, Enfield, EN1 1YQ, TGI Fridays, R11, Qube 2, Metrocentre, Gateshead, NE11 9YG and

TGI Fridays, 6-G Newgate Street, The Gate, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 5TG.

Unite is Britain and Ireland’s largest trade union with over 1.4 million members working across all sectors of the economy. The general secretary is Len McCluskey.