Hotel accused of 'union busting' after reps sacked

Two staff attempting to join union at a luxury hotel in Manchester city centre have been sacked in a "clear case of victimisation", Unite has said.

Workers at the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel and its restaurant The Refuge have pushed for union recognition to tackle issues like under-staffing, sick pay and time off between shifts.

Unite has accused owner InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) of "union busting" after the workers were sacked in what hospitality lead Bryan Simpson said was "the most blatant example of union victimisation we've ever come across".

IHG said it was aware of the concerns but did not "comment on the employment situations of individual colleagues".

Staff decided to join Unite earlier this year and push for formal recognition over the "fatigue and burnout" caused by under-staffing and having fewer than 11 hours between shifts.

The luxury hotel giant, which has refused to recognise Unite as the official union, had worked to address a number of concerns raised by a "small number of colleagues" at Kimpton and The Refuge, the group added.

"We fully respect colleagues' individual rights to choose whether or not to join a trade union and will continue to follow the appropriate legal process."

Unite has claimed the two staff were fired in the past two months for "undertaking trade union activities".

General secretary Sharon Graham said: "IHG could work with Unite to come up with meaningful solutions to problems raised by its workers, but instead it is choosing to prioritise going after our reps and firing them.

"This situation is an utter disgrace and a clear case of union victimisation. Management must reconsider this aggressive approach and reinstate these sacked reps."

The union has warned the dispute will "only escalate" unless IHG agrees to negotiate, reinstate the sacked workers and agree to the unionisation of staff.

"We have addressed a number of these concerns, and we continue to engage with teams through well established, direct feedback channels," the IHG spokesperson said.

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