Note 13 Glasgow workers vote for historic strike

According to Unite Hospitality, the strike vote received a 100 percent yes vote with a majority turnout.

Workers at the cafe on King Street near Merchant City in Glasgow city center filed a collective grievance application in March, alleging issues including a poorly equipped kitchen causing health and safety problems, the use of zero-hour contracts and paying employees of different ages cited different rates for the same job.

Read more: 13. Note: Employees are health and safety conscious

In one incident, Unite said, the front wheels of an industrial refrigerator weighing 180kg broke in 13th Note’s kitchen and almost fell on a worker, while in another incident, shelves in the kitchen fell on a chef.

13th Note staff also wrote a petition to the cafe’s owner, Jacqueline Fennessey, urging her to address health and safety concerns and meet with Unite officials to discuss implementing the Real Living Wage for employees . The petition has collected over 5700 signatures.

Read more: Brel in Glasgow’s West End wants to ‘cut staff wages’

Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite members at the 13th Note Bar in Glasgow agree to take a stand in what may be the first bar workers’ strike in the UK in over 20 years.” That says a lot about them . But it certainly says a lot about your employer as well.

Bryan Simpson, lead organizer of Unite Hospitality, said: “Unless the owners of 13th Note get back to the negotiating table and propose improvements in wages, health and safety and union recognition, the gap between owners and workers will only widen. ” .”

Nick Troy, Unite’s senior representative at 13th Note, added: “For the past seventeen weeks we have been trying to speak to management at 13th Note. From wages to hygiene to our demands for union recognition, we’re still not being properly listened to.” The strength of the strike vote certainly shows it’s time for that to change.

Note 13 owner Jacqueline Fennessy was contacted for comment.