22.09.2022 / Press releases / Saint James Tavern

Judge orders Brighton pub to pay wages to summarily sacked UVW strike leader until final hearing

• Judge orders Saint James Tavern (SJT) pub bosses in Brighton to pay wages to a United Voices of the World (UVW) strike leader, who was summarily sacked allegedly for his union activities, until there is a final hearing on his dismissal
• Former bar manager and UVW member Jake Marvin applied to the Employment Tribunal in early July for interim relief following his abrupt sacking just days after the workers’ first picket line on June 25.
• The judgement will remain in force until a final hearing on unfair dismissal and trade union victimisation takes place in a year or so.
• UVW is proud to have won interim relief for several members in the past including recycling plant workers and warehouse workers in its continuous fight against vicious union busting.

Former bar manager and UVW member Jake Marvin applied to the Employment Tribunal in early July for interim relief following his summary sacking just days after the workers’ first picket line on June 25. 

The judge heard evidence that pub manager and UVW member Jake Marvin was believed to have been sacked for building the union in his workplace. Evidence included a leaked Whatsapp message from the pub landlady, Victoria, that his sacking was planned weeks in advance of the strike or disciplinary hearings. The violent pub landlord Zach also openly admitted to the local member of parliament for Brighton, Kemptown, Lloyd Russell-Moyers, that he would sack any workers who took part in union activities.MP Moyers told us “The landlords are out of control”.  

The judge concluded Marvin was dismissed for his trade union activities and not for the official reasons, believed to be false pretext.

The SJT pub bosses had claimed Jake had failed to deliver on their job requests and set up what seemed like a farcical disciplinary process during which he was summarily sacked days after the first strike picket.  But UVW presented compelling arguments aiming to demonstrate that the bosses are belligerently anti-union and were bent on getting rid of any workers organising in the workplace. The SJT workers had voted unanimously to go on strike after months of failed attempts to negotiate with their bosses better terms and conditions, including a basic pay rise, health and safety measures and union recognition. 

Jake Marvin, sacked SJT strike leader and a UVW member, said:

“I’m ecstatic by the decision from the court to grant my interim relief! It’s a huge win for the UVW members of the SJT and the labour movement across the hospitality sector. I think that having to pay me my salary until the final hearing is a strong indication of the validity of my case; that, as I believe, I was unjustly sacked because of my union activities. I look forward to facing my former employers in court on this matter.”

Petros Elia, general secretary for UVW, said:

“This win is not just a lesson to St James Tavern bosses, but to all bosses out there, that we’ll never let you get away with victimising any of our members and if you try we will fight back and we will beat you. Next time, don’t even bother trying.”

For further information contact the UVW comms team.
Cristina: 07548 759340 
Jim: 07749 765264
Isabel: 07706 987443

E-mail: comms@uvwunion.org.uk    

Notes for editors
United Voices of the World is an anti-racist, member-led, direct action, campaigning trade union and we exist to support and empower the most vulnerable groups of precarious, low-paid and predominantly BAME and migrant workers in the UK. We fight the bosses through direct action on the streets and through the courts and demand that all members receive at least the London Living Wage, full pay, sick pay, dignity, equality and respect.

Previous UVW press releases about the SJT dispute

• Fighting back through the courts 
• Brighton workers suspend strike action as pub bosses sit down to talk
• Brighton pub workers  defy violent union-busting  by issuing fresh strike dates 
• Striking worker assaulted by union-busting boss at Stonegate-leased pub in Brighton 
• Strike leader suspended ahead of historic strike by Brighton pub workers
• Brighton bar staff launch two days of strike action for better pay and conditions 
• Brighton bar staff unanimously vote to strike for better pay and conditions, job security and respect at work 
• Brighton bar staff vote on strike action over pay and conditions, and sue their employer for alleged harassment, sexism and transphobia

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