Eurovision: Unite Calls for Fair Pay and Treatment of Liverpool Hospitality Workers

During Eurovision week (8 May to 13 May) in Liverpool, Unite , the UK’s leading union, will launch a drive to win fair treatment and pay for the city’s hospitality workers with a number of events

Next week, Liverpool will see a huge influx of visitors as it hosts the Eurovision Song Contest, bringing in millions of extra revenue for the city’s hospitality industr y While Eurovision is a cause for celebration in Liverpool, low paid workers in bars, restaurants and hotels will face a huge increase in workloads

Unite general secretar y Sharon Graham said:

“Liverpool’s hospitality employers will be taking full advantage of the boom in custom during Eurovision Meanwhile , the low pay and insecure work hospitality staff suffer will continue , with no share in the rewards reaped by the contest, despite them bearing the brunt of the extra work

“That’s why during Eurovision and after it, Unite will be helping Liverpool’s hospitality workers to organise collectively Unite is intent on giving them the tools and suppor t they need to force employers into addressing their concerns and paying a proper living wage ”

UnionVision is being launched during Eurovision week as par t of Unite’s drive for Liverpool hospitality workers to be paid at least the Real Living Wage of £10 90 per hour Unite is also working to ensure hospitality workers in the city to be on secure contracts, to receive 100 per cent of their tips and be free from sexual harassment and abuse

Unite hospitality organiser Caitlin Lee said:

“Unite is concerned that employers will use Eurovision as an opportunity to grab the extra millions the competition will bring in but pass nothing on to their workers but more pressure and worse working conditions

“It does not have to be this way – Eurovision is a chance for employers to raise their game and show the world they are leading the way in treating workers fairly Unite calls on them to grant the union access to workplaces to ensure this happens ”

Kitchen Porter of the Year Celebrates its First Decade with Biggest Prizes Ever

Once again it’s time to nominate the heroes hidden in your kitchen 2023 sees Kitchen Por ter of the Year reach its tenth anniversar y The competition, which is organised by Winterhalter UK and The Caterer, aims to celebrate the amazing work kitchen por ters do in professional kitchens across the UK

Kitchen por ters play an essential role in keeping kitchens organised and running smoothly Not only is the work itself vital, but as can be seen in how many of the industr y ’ s top names star ted out as KPs, it’s the ideal foundation to a great career in foodser vice

Since its launch in 2013, hundreds of businesses and organisations across the UK have nominated their star KPs, recognising the exceptional yet so often unrecognised and unrewarded work they do

“The past few years have been pretty tough for a lot for the industr y, ” says Stephen Kinkead, managing director of Winterhalter UK “Like ever ybody, KPs have had to work harder than ever to adapt to these tr ying times, so it’s never been more impor tant to highlight their brilliant work ”

This year ’ s prizes are the biggest to date The grand winner will not only bag a brand new Winterhalter wor th £10,000 for their workplace , they’ll also get £1000 of vouchers for themselves as well as an exclusive celebration event in London for their friends and family Two runners up will each get vouchers wor th £250, and because ever y KP deser ves recognition ever y nominee will receive an exclusive KP of the Year apron “I’ve been a KP, it’s a job that requires dedication and skill,” says Stephen “Down the years we ’ ve seen countless examples of KPs going above and beyond in all sectors of the industr y, from fast, casual to fine dining, from hospitals, schools and prisons and football grounds to oil rigs and we hope that our tenth year sees yet more great companies and organisations nominating their kitchen por ters for this award

To enter, simply fill in the form here Closing date for entries is 29th July 2023, and the winners will be judged by a panel of some of the biggest names in the foodser vice industr y

We

CLH News are looking to do a round-up on how the hospitality industr y and individual businesses have celebrated the momentous occasion.

Please send us photos and details of your events to edit@catererlicensee .com for a special commemorative feature later this month!