DOZENS of people staged a protest outside the City Screen cinema in York on Saturday night to support Cineworld/Picturehouse strikes in London.


Workers for City Screen’s owner in the capital are striking after they claimed the company refused to pay the Living Wage, decent sick pay, maternity or paternity rights, strike organisers say.

 
Gareth Lewis, Policy and Campaigns officer for TUC Yorkshire and the Humber organised the York protest and was joined by about 30 people including the York Central MP, Rachael Maskell.


A spokesman for the cinema chain said fewer than ten per cent of staff chose to strike and staff at York City Screen did not part in strike action.


Mr Lewis said: “Anyone paying £12.20 to see Star Wars at York City Screen this Christmas deserves to know that the staff who sell the tickets, serve the popcorn and pour the drinks are paid a fair wage.

 
“But Cineworld/Picturehouse refuses to pay staff the bare minimum necessary to live a decent life. Instead, it has sacked some workers who have tried to change things by taking part in trade union activity.


“We believe, with similar poor working conditions in Picturehouses across the country, that more customers deserve to know what’s going on, and more staff should know that they’re not struggling alone.”


Mr Lewis added that 300 leaflets were handed out in York.


A City Screen spokesman said: “Staff at Picturehouse Cinemas do in fact have statutory sick and maternity/paternity and holiday pay entitlements.

"They also have an official, recognised staff union called The Forum giving the staff collective bargaining rights for pay and benefits. It is free to join and made up of Picturehouse staff excluding head office.


“The Government’s Living Wage is £7.50 per hour for those ages 25 and over. Staff can opt for a zero-hour contract or set hours. Neither is forced. The majority of staff opt for the flexibility of zero-hours.”