{"id":14613,"date":"2018-02-13T17:19:19","date_gmt":"2018-02-13T17:19:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/unitelive.org\/?p=14613"},"modified":"2020-11-12T12:59:09","modified_gmt":"2020-11-12T12:59:09","slug":"hotel-chain-must-clean-act","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/?p=14613","title":{"rendered":"Hotel chain must \u00e2\u20ac\u0098clean up\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 its act"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Shocked Channel 4 Dispatches<\/em> viewers have been contacting Unite today (February 13) following the investigative documentary report last night (February 12) after Dispatches<\/em> lifted the lid on worker abuse at the Premier Inn hotel chain last evening \u00e2\u20ac\u201c demanding the chain \u00e2\u20ac\u0098cleans up its act.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Unite has called on Premier Inn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s owner Whitbread, to end exploitative work practices and its \u00e2\u20ac\u0098work until you drop\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 culture.\u00c2\u00a0The union is campaigning for better treatment of workers at Premier Inn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s 760 UK hotels and for the hotel chain to recognise Unite and allow workers access to a trade union.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Dispatches<\/em> programme, Undercover in Premier Inn<\/em>, highlighted how staff are not being paid for all the hours they work, as well as being under continual pressure to hit punishing and unrealistic productivity targets.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bDispatches<\/em> has lifted the lid on Premier Inn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s exploitative work practices, with many of its findings echoing what we have been told by the hotel chain\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s workers,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 said Unite national officer Rhys McCarthy.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe work until you drop culture, unremitting pressure on workers to hit unrealistic productivity targets, combined with staff not being paid for all the hours worked, are work practices you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d expect to find in a sweat shop not a leading hotel chain.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Both viewers and Unite members have been signing Unite\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s petition<\/a> calling on Premier Inn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s owner, Whitbread to clean up its act.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0098Terrified to say no\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The signatories have included former Premier Inn workers. Sharlene* writes, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bI worked for Premier Inn and the treatment was awful. I felt like a slave, terrified to say no to double shifts and sick cover. Working 16 hours a day with eight hours in between shifts is no way to live. No on call allowance or company phone but the expectation you would be available 24\/7 365 days a year.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bI was close to a mental breakdown so I left. I was a member of management. It is widespread throughout the company. They push you till you break then just find someone to replace you.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The programme focused on the 20 minutes time limit cleaners had to clean a room. Petition signatory Finn* says, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bAs an employee of Premier Inn I have seen room cleaning target times drop from 27 minutes to 20, resulting in severe corner cutting, housekeeping tasks being given to reception and management staff in order to barely meet minimum standards, at the sacrifice of customer service, safety and security.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And shockingly, when cleaner Carlos*, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bfound the dead body of a guest, I wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t offered any time off \u00e2\u20ac\u201c apparently I had to ask.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Reputation <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Warning of reputational damage to its business, Unite has called on Whitbread to change its business model which drives the supply of its housekeeping staff and to clean up its act by treating workers properly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bRevelations such as these can cause severe reputational damage,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 says Rhys McCarthy. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bThis is at odds with Premier Inn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s brand image as a family friendly hotel chain.\u00c2\u00a0 Customers will expect better.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

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And it seems from Unite\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s petition signatories the hotel-using public are indeed having second thoughts about spending time and money at the chain.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sarah* says, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bI\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve stayed in Premier Inns in the past \u00e2\u20ac\u201c but won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be doing so again \u00e2\u20ac\u201c until they pay good wages, stop intimidation about trade unions and treat the people who make the huge profits for them with respect.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Not allowing workers access to trade union representation has struck a chord. Ben* like many believes Premier Inn has to change its ways. He says, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bI\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m totally against the exploitation of fellow workers \u00e2\u20ac\u201c particularly by big organisations who can well afford to pay decent wages and provide sensible and decent working conditions.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bI have used these in the past and recently, but won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be using Premier Inn until this is resolved.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0098Scared\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 and \u00e2\u20ac\u0098intimidated\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Despite not being recognised by Premier Inn, Unite does have members working for the chain. In their own words they are \u00e2\u20ac\u0098scared\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 and intimidated\u00e2\u20ac\u2122:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bI\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m scared of being sacked if I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t come in at short notice or work over my shift.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThey pay me less than the hours I work.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe were told not to talk about trade unions with each other so it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s hard to get people to do stuff because they feel so intimidated. There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s lots of bullying going on too.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bI\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m paid under \u00c2\u01419 an hour and I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m really struggling to pay my rent.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re now all working six days a week with double shifts, back to back. Start at 7 am \u00e2\u20ac\u201c finish at 11 pm.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It is clear Premier Inn has to change. Unite believes it must start abiding by its own human rights policy by allowing employees workplace access to trade unions and allowing them to join one.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWhitbread can stamp out these exploitative employment practices in an instance should it choose to do so,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 believes McCarthy.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIt should also ensure that the workers can form a union.\u00c2\u00a0What good is Whitbread\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s human rights policy if the chain won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t even recognise the workers\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 union, Unite?\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he asks.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sign the Unite petition here<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Join Unite here<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*Names changed to protect privacy<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Shocked Channel 4 Dispatches viewers have been contacting Unite today (February 13) following the investigative documentary report last night (February 12) after Dispatches lifted the lid on worker abuse at the Premier Inn hotel chain last evening \u00e2\u20ac\u201c demanding the chain \u00e2\u20ac\u0098cleans up its act.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122   Unite has called on Premier Inn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s owner Whitbread, to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":14615,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[17],"tags":[92,96],"wps_subtitle":"Far from \u00e2\u20ac\u0098premier\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 for workers, C4 show lifts lid on abuse","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14613"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14613"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14613\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26394,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14613\/revisions\/26394"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/14615"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14613"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14613"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14613"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}