Workers at Grosvenor Casinos ballot for strikes as company gambles with below inflation pay offer

Members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, employed by Grosvenor Casinos are to be balloted for strike action in a dispute over low pay.

The workers who are based at the company’s central London casinos are balloting as a result of Grosvenor Casinos offering a pay cut dressed up as a pay increase.

The company is offering to increase the wages of its lowest paid staff to the London Living Wage of £11.20 an hour. Staff who are paid more than £11.20 an hour are only being offered a 4.3 per cent increase, this is in effect a substantial pay cut with the real inflation rate (RPI) currently standing at 11.8 per cent.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Grosvenor Casinos is very wealthy – with its holding company making bumper £40 million profits last year. Grosvenor Casinos caters for some of the richest clients in the world. Its success is based on the services offered by staff and they fully deserve a decent pay deal.

“Our members at the company will receive Unite’s total support until they receive a pay offer which meets their expectations.”

The rates of pay are considered particularly low given that much of the work involves unsociable hours and late night working.

The ballot opens on Tuesday 2 August and closes on Tuesday 23 August. If the workers vote for industrial action then strikes could begin in September.

Despite the pandemic and lockdowns affecting income, Grosvenor Casinos parent company, Rank Group plc, remains extremely profitable and is expected to record a profit of £40 million this year.

Unite national officer Dave Turnbull said: “If workers vote for strike action it will inevitably cause huge disruption across the company’s operations but this dispute is entirely of Grosvenor Casinos own making.

“Even at this late stage strike action can still be averted if Grosvenor Casinos returns to the negotiating table and makes a realistic pay offer to our members.”