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10.12.2024 / News / HARRODS

Hundreds of Harrods workers to strike over pre-Christmas weekend and Boxing Day as store refuses talks

“As one of the world’s leading luxury department stores, Harrods should be setting the standard for retail and hospitality workers. Instead, we are earning the living wage and denied basic benefits such as a food allowance and Christmas bonus – something which should be commonplace in a company accumulating millions of pounds in profit year on year.” Alice Howick, Harrods waiter and UVW member,

Hundreds of retail, restaurant, kitchen, and cleaning workers at Harrods will walk out of their jobs on the weekend of the 21 and 22 December as well as Boxing Day – the busiest retail dates of the year -if the luxury store continues to deny them a Christmas bonus and improved working conditions.

The workers, represented by United Voices of the World (UVW) union, have had no option but to vote for strike yet again as Harrods’ management refuses  to recognise or engage with their union for negotiations. They will strike from 8pm on Friday 20 December to 9:30pm on Sunday 22 December, and 12am on 26 December to 9:30pm on Thursday 26 December.

The workers returned a resounding yes vote with 95% in favour of strike action as Harrods’ management continued to ignore their demands and refused to  engage or even recognise the workers’ union, United Voices of the World (UVW).

Their pay and conditions have deteriorated even as the company rewards its owners and top executives with exorbitant payouts.

The potential strikes come in response to rising grievances, particularly over staff shortages and overwork, guarantees on fair pay rises in line with RPI inflation, scrapping the cover charge in restaurants and the need for transparency over the distribution of service charge. Many benefits, like the Christmas bonuses and voluntary bank holiday work for cleaning staff, have been whittled away, while the world-famous luxury London store handed out £180 million in bonuses to its owners and awarded a £2.1 million salary to its Managing Director,

Ana Ferreira, Harrods cleaner and UVW member, said:“In my 30 years in Harrods, I have learned that us cleaners are not given any value, we are seen as low people. I do this job because I’m a foreigner in this country and it’s the job that I can do and I had babies etc. so life got in the way. Harrods has been a total disappointment because they don’t seem to value the good workers. Unfortunately now, things have got so bad that they have managed to annoy all of us. We feel they are not treating people fairly, that they seem to think we are donkeys or machines… this had always been a bit like that but now it seems to have got worse.”

The workers are demanding an annual bonus, starting with a £500 Christmas bonus this year; guaranteed annual pay increase above RPI inflation; more staff across multiple departments; an end to mandatory bank holiday work for cleaners; an end to the practice of forcing part-time cleaners to work 9 days straight, a daily meal allowance for restaurants and kitchen workers, full transparency of the service charge, with monthly reporting. and an end to the cover charge, or distributing it entirely to employees working in restaurants and kitchens. 

Alice Howick, Harrods waiter and UVW member, said: “This is a momentous result and demonstrates just how ready we are to fight for what we deserve. The time has come for us, the workers, to put ourselves and our well-being first and push for more than the bare minimum. As one of the world’s leading luxury department stores, Harrods should be setting the standard for retail and hospitality workers. Instead, we are earning the living wage and denied basic benefits such as a food allowance and Christmas bonus – something which should be commonplace in a company accumulating millions of pounds in profit year on year. Striking is a last resort for us and will only happen if Harrods continues to be unreasonable in responding to our demands. All we ask is that Harrods respects its employees and agrees to negotiate with us, as members of the UVW union, so a conclusion can be reached.”

This is the second time Harrods’ workers have voted to strike this year and it is UVW’s fifth campaign at Harrods, following four previous wins for tips, substantial pay rises and against unfair leave policies.

Harrods has a concerning track record of mistreating its workforce, including serious allegations of rape and sexual abuse against its former owner, Mohammed Al Fayed. In 2017, UVW successfully secured 100% of the service charge for kitchen staff and waiters, overturning a system where Harrods withheld up to 75%. By December 2021, restaurant workers achieved an unprecedented pay increase of nearly 25%, setting a new standard within the industry. This summer, migrant night cleaners were forced to ballot for a strike over restrictive new holiday policies that made it difficult for them to visit families in countries like India. These unfair guidelines were ultimately revoked.

We call on Harrods to come to the table and negotiate so the store can remain open for Christmas shopping and continue to serve all Londoners this festive season.

 

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