Members of Unite, the UK and Ireland’s largest union, former employees of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s Italian chain of restaurants have been awarded eight weeks of lost wages after an employment tribunal ruled that it had failed to consult with them over their redundancies following the collapse of his restaurant group last year.  

 

The 70 Unite members formerly employed in Jamie’s Italian restaurants in Glasgow and Edinburgh will receive an average pay out of £2,000 each. More than 1,000 jobs were lost when the group fell into administration in May 2019, which led to the closure of 22 restaurants. 

 

Unite is warning the industry to take heed of this judgement and to stop the mass redundancies sweeping the sector in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the union will not hesitate to mount legal challenges against companies which flout the consultation process.

 

Bryan Simpson Unite organiser for hospitality said: “We are delighted that the tribunal has ruled in favour of our members at Jamie’s Italian who will now each receive eight weeks wages in compensation. 

 

The judge agreed that Jamie’s Italian failed to comply with Section 188 of the Trade Union Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act, which sets out how collective consultation must be carried out. 

 

“The way staff were treated by their former employer was despicable. They received a 30 minute call to tell them that they had all lost their jobs.

 

“Let this judgement act as a warning to all those multi-national chains currently pressing ahead with mass redundancies during a pandemic without genuine and meaningful consultation. We will be ready and waiting to defend our members interests to ensure they receive what they are entitled to.”

 

ENDS

 

For more information please contact Unite campaigns coordinator, Bryan Simpson 07891118390