Bar staff at London’s popular board game café joined Radisson Blu housekeepers to strike against alleged precarious work conditions.
Draughts bar workers in Waterloo, Stratford and Hackney, and Radisson Blu Canary Wharf housekeeping staff who are part of the trade union United Voices of the World (UVW), walked out for the first time on Saturday 9 August after members voted 100% in favour of strike action.
UVW general secretary Petros Elia claimed the first hotel workers strike in 46 years in England is just the start of a broader movement in hospitality.
Elia said: “It’s the lowest paid, it’s the most precarious, the most exploitative and the least unionised sector in the economy.
“The fact that they are both taking that action and taking it together is historic in so many ways.
“Hotel workers simply don’t strike, they are not the kind of workers who you see or hear about striking.”
Draughts workers are demanding an end to zero-hours contracts, a minimum of three weeks’ notice for their shifts, and an end to the QR service system which one bar worker claimed “limits customer interaction and reduces tips”.
The Office for National Statistics highlighted the number of people on zero-hours contracts has risen to 1.17 million since 2024.
Meanwhile, outsourced hotel workers at Radisson Blu Canary Wharf are demanding a return to 40 contracted hours, which were cut to 16 two months ago, and to be paid the London Living Wage.
Elias claimed housekeeping workload has doubled from 14 to 24 rooms too, but has fallen to 20 since UVW began the dispute with bosses.
Radisson Blu housekeeping supervisor Rupa said: “It’s affecting our daily life.
“We have to pay for so many things, it is very hard.
“We have our mortgages and suddenly they said we need to sign the new contract.”
Radisson Blu Canary Wharf hotel staff are outsourced to WGC, formerly Windowgleam Company, who pay 85p below London Living Wage at £13.85, The Independent reported.
The housekeepers at Radisson Blu are mainly Nepalese women and migrants who come to work and live in London, according to UVW.
Elias said: “Migrant workers, being an exploited group and in politics today, are showing that they are not accepting the terrible conditions that they are being asked to work in but are fighting back.”
For Draughts workers, it was the first day of what could be many campaigns.
Draughts bar staff member Chris Drummond said: “This used to be the coolest job in the world.
“The working conditions are painful, to be made to feel like I’m asking for something that is completely unreasonable when all I’m asking for is basic respect.
“We’re not even asking for a pay rise.”
Shree Menon, bar worker at Draughts for three years, claimed she could not get time off for her wedding, but noted that her other colleagues attending could.
Menon said: “We used to stay till 2am and play board games and we all just became fast friends.
“We would all work well together because we knew the games, we knew each other and could support each other.
“We could show the customers who came in a fantastic time.”
However, since QR codes were introduced and admission to play games increased, Shree claimed bar workers faced more workload after high staff turnover.
Bar worker Beck Klassen believes they have made their strike demands achievable “without breaking the bank”.
Klassen, who began building a union in February, described the workforces coming together to support each as “empowering”, as both disputes began at the same time.
Klassen added: “But it’s also been disheartening to see our bosses treat us like misbehaving children.”
A spokesperson for Radisson Blu Canary Wharf said: “Radisson Blu Hotel, London Canary Wharf East is aware of the strike at the property.
“The hotel outsources housekeeping services to WGC.
“As the housekeeping team are employees of WGC, all employee obligations and negotiations lie with WGC.
“Therefore, Radisson Blu Hotel, London Canary Wharf East cannot provide further comment.
“We have taken measures to ensure any impact on hotel guests and services is minimal and expect to be able to continue normal operations.”
Draughts were approached for comment.
Feature image: United Voices of the World
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