‘Fair Tips’ Campaign

SERTUC turned up at the planned demonstration outside Pizza Express, (3 September) in Baker Street, London, to find that the demo had been ‘called off’ – because the Unite the Union, campaigners and workers at Pizza Express had won!

Pizza Express has decided to scrap the eight per cent administration fee on tips paid by customers using credit cards in its 430 branches. Customers had generally been ‘stunned’ that the tips they had thought they had left for staff were actually being ‘top-sliced’ by the pizza chain.

Unite the Union and the ‘Fair Tips Campaign’ will now turn its attention to other restaurant companies that it says have not been playing fair on the tips left for their workers.  

Unite regional officer Dave Turnbull said: “First of all, I would like to thank our Pizza Express members for the very brave stand they have made against a powerful multi-national company. Against the odds, they have breached the wall of bad practice that has surrounded tipping policy in the UK for far too long. We have been proud to represent them and this shows that with your union by your side you can obtain justice.” 
Unite said that “Pizza Express, which employs 10,000 people, announced changes to its tipping policy and that from 6 October tips made on electronic card payments will be fully distributed among employees. Waiting staff are among the UK’s worst paid employees. Pizza Express waiting and kitchen staff are paid the national minimum wage of just £6.50 per hour – no matter how long they’ve worked for the company. They are heavily reliant on customer tips to top up their low pay, so this victory will boost their income.”
 
Dave Turnbull, Unite Regional Officer, is on: 07980 721427 

More information 

# FairTips

@unitetheunion

Laurie Heselden                

@TUCLaurieHeseld

Megan Dobney                  

@mdobney