04.12.2024 / Press releases /

Hundreds of Harrods workers vote en mass to strike this Christmas as luxury store behaves like modern-day Scrooge

• Hundreds of retail, restaurant, kitchen and cleaning workers at Harrods have voted en masse to strike over Christmas, after the luxury store refused them a Christmas bonus and improved working conditions, while handing millionaire payouts to its owners
  
• The ballot has delivered a huge 95% yes vote in favor of strike action
  
• The world-famous luxury London store reportedly handed out £180 million in bonuses to its owners and awarded a £2.1 million salary to its Managing Director, while frontline staff faced stripped benefits, staff shortages and stagnant wages
  
• This is UVW’s fifth campaign at Harrods, following four previous wins for tips,  substantial pay rises and against unfair leave policies.

Hundreds of workers across Harrods’ retail, restaurant, kitchen and cleaning departments have returned a resounding 95% yes to strike action and will walk out of their jobs over the busy Christmas season unless the luxury London store promptly addresses their demands for fair pay and 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 engage with or even recognise their union for negotiations, ignoring their demands.

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, 

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.

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.”

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.”

Petros Elia, general secretary for United Voice of the World, said:

“Contrary to what Harrods bosses say, we are still in a shameful period of their history. Their employees are still feeling the impact of a prevailing and deep-rooted toxic culture. Bosses at Harrods denying their dedicated workforce a Christmas bonuses and fair wages while lavishing obscene sums on its billionaire owners is proof. It’s outrageous that our members across retail, restaurant, kitchen and cleaning have had to vote to strike just to be heard. The workers have been left with no choice but to strike because management refuses to engage with them or even recognise their union. 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.”

For further information contact the UVW comms team:

Cristina: 07548 759340

Isabel: 07706 987443

Jim: 07749 765264

E-mail: comms@uvwunion.org.uk
 

Notes for editors

The workers’ demands are:

1. Annual bonus, starting with a £500 Christmas bonus this year.
2. Guaranteed annual pay increase above RPI inflation.
3. More staff across multiple departments.
4. End mandatory bank holiday work for cleaners
5. End the practice of forcing part-time cleaners to work 9 days straight
6. Daily meal allowance for restaurants and kitchen workers.
7. Full transparency of the service charge, with monthly reporting.
8. End the cover charge, or distribute it entirely to employees working in restaurants and kitchens. 

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.

More on Harrods campaigns:

• Harrods’ migrant cleaners call off strike after forcing policy change on annual leave
• UVW members at Harrods fight to see their families abroad
• Harrods’ hospitality workers ready to strike for third time if 2024 pay promise not kept
• Harrods’ workers reject claim that “Harrods is today a very different organisation”
• Strike averted as workers celebrate huge 25% pay rise at Harrods

as luxury store behaves like modern-day Scrooge 

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