Reverberating protest

It if it was night time most people wouldn’t think twice about hearing the socially conscious lyrics of rap group Public Enemy reverberating through the streets of Leeds’ city centre.

Today, however, the bouncing tunes were being played at 10 am and drawing the attention of everyone in the area.

The music was part of a Unite Community demonstration outside one of William Hill’s 2,400 betting shops, to protest against a shake up at the company which will see managers and deputy managers lose an average of £6,000 from their salaries.

Similar Unite Community demonstrations also took place today in towns and cities across the country, to let William Hill know that the union will not just stand by and let the company treat its workers so shabbily.

Despite a hostile reception from a security team hired by William Hill for the Leeds’ protest, Unite Community regional coordinator John Coan said the public’s response was “unbelievable”.

“One of our activists is a sound technician so we had a sound system blaring out Public Enemy. It was brilliant because the shop is basically on a cross roads in the middle of Leeds centre, so there were thousands of people walking past. It was as good as reception as I’ve ever seen,” Coan said.

“We also spoke to a lot of customers. Their response was ‘we’ll take our business elsewhere then’ and they went to Ladbrokes a few doors down instead. William Hill should know that we won’t just let it rest. We didn’t with blacklisting, Eddie Stobart or Sports Direct and we won’t with this.”

The protest went so well, in fact, that four members of the public volunteered to carry placards and handout leaflets. Two also signed up to become members of Unite Community.

One of the volunteers, Adam, who is studying maths at Leeds University, decided to join Unite Community on the spot.

Adam said, “I didn’t know anything about the campaign but I’ve worked in the service industry and know how badly people can be treated, so when I found out what was going on I asked if I could join in.”

Jamie, a charity worker from Leeds, also decided to join the union after volunteering at the demonstration.

‘Disgusting’

He said “It’s disgusting what’s happening to workers at William Hill and it’s great that Unite are standing up for them and letting the public know like this.”

Unite national officer Rhys McCarthy praised Unite Community volunteers across the country for bringing the pay cuts to the public’s attention and warned William Hill that the campaign was not over.

“William Hill should know that the demonstrations today are not the end of it. As with the successful Sports Direct campaign, Unite Community members have shown William Hill their willingness to stand outside betting shops and highlight to customers and the wider public the company’s deplorable treatment of its employees,” McCarthy said.

“However, shining a spotlight on William Hill is just one aspect of the fight. Employees, who already often work under difficult conditions, can see that the company does not have their best interests at heart and are realising that Unite will stand up for them.”

McCarthy explained that the demonstrations are being coupled with an effort to bring more William Hill employees into Unite.

He said, “As we recruit more William Hill workers into the union, we will increase our collective bargaining leverage and use it to help prevent further erosions of pay and conditions, because one thing is quite clear – if they are willing to attack wages in this manner now, they will be willing to do it again in the future.”