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14.07.2025 / News / Draughts Bar
“I feel really proud of all of us for coming together and getting this far. It’s not an easy thing to organise and it’s bittersweet to see all my coworkers putting in time and energy to fight for our rights. Like all people, we deserve to be treated with respect and our needs matter. In a better world it shouldn’t come to a strike. But we are not afraid to stand up for ourselves!”
Pearl,UVW member and worker at Draughts [she/they]
Bar staff at Draughts – the iconic board game bar chain with venues in Hackney, Stratford, and Waterloo – have voted 100% in favour of strike action, over zero-hours contracts, late shift cancellation and unsafe conditions, marking the first coordinated walkout in the company’s history. Strike dates will be announced shortly, while a solidarity rally will be held on Monday 14 July at Draughts Waterloo from 4pm.
The workers, members of United Voices of the World (UVW), are demanding an end to exploitative zero-hours contracts and chaotic scheduling, including late shift cancellations that leave staff financially insecure. They are calling for fixed-hour contracts, proper notice of rotas, paid on-site training, a return to table service, and licensed security in the evenings.
Pearl, a UVW member and worker at Draughts [she/they] said:“I feel really proud of all of us for coming together and getting this far. It’s not an easy thing to organise and it’s bittersweet to see all my coworkers putting in time and energy to fight for our rights. Like all people, we deserve to be treated with respect and our needs matter. In a better world it shouldn’t come to a strike. But we are not afraid to stand up for ourselves!”
While her colleague Brune, UVW rep and worker at Draughts [she/they], added: “I’m not surprised with the results of the vote but I’m delighted about it. All of us are pulling together in making our voices heard and I believe that this can only take us in a good direction. I’m ready to do whatever it takes to make sure we raise the industry standards and get treated fairly.”
UVW has also launched legal proceedings on behalf of Awed Nur, a Sudanese kitchen worker who was abruptly dismissed midway through a shift, just one day after UVW served formal notice of its intention to ballot workers for strike action. An urgent application for interim relief has been submitted to the Employment Tribunal, as part of the fight for his reinstatement.
Workers say that while Draughts markets itself as a fun and progressive venue, its internal working conditions fall far short of that image. Behind the scenes, workers face insecurity, poor treatment and no voice. After weeks of unanswered emails, staff delivered their demands in person, only to be locked out by management, while peacefully trying to read them aloud.
These workers are standing up for safety, dignity and basic fairness. They’re bravely leading the way in a hospitality sector where exploitative practices are widespread and strike action is still rare, but growing.
Join the Solidarity Rally on Monday 14 July from 4pm outside Draughts Waterloo. There will be food, games, and drinks as workers demand better conditions!
Date: Monday 14 July
Time: 4:00pm
Location: Draughts Waterloo, Arch 16 Leake St, London SE1 7NN
14.07.2025 / Draughts Bar
25.06.2025 / Justice for Cleaners / St Helier and Epsom
144 Cambridge Heath Road
London E1 5QJ
07884 553443 (English)
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info@uvwunion.org.uk
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