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Draughts Games Bar Staff to Strike!
London, Greater London, United Kingdom
Aim
Workers at the emblematic London games bar prepare to strike over zero-hour contracts, erratic scheduling and for dignity & respect at work
“It’s a workplace worth fighting for. People come to play games, we want it to be fun. It used to be fun when we had time to recommend and teach games... We've been losing tings like even being able to request time off. Sometimes I'm on my way to work and I get a call and I'm told: 'Don't come in today.' Beck, UVW member and bar staff at Draughts
Draughts Bar was meant to be a haven of connection, creativity, and community at the heart of London's board game scene, a place where first dates, old friends, families and total strangers could share a table and a game. But behind the scenes, we, the workers, are facing slashed hours, erratic scheduling, and unmanageable workloads.
Instead of fulfilling its mission to be a “trailblazer in competitive socialising” and a hub for all kinds of people, Draughts appears to be becoming like a profit-driven conveyor belt, where we feel that we are being treated like cogs in a machine, not people with lives, commitments and basic rights.
The staff make the Draughts bar what it is, a better and safe workplace for us means a better experience for everyone. We are fighting not just for ourselves, but for the quality and integrity of the Draughts experience — the very thing customers come for.
We are demanding:
- Fixed-hour contracts
- A minimum of 24 hours’ notice provided before any proposed shift changes
Rotas published with a minimum of three weeks’ notice
- Licensed security present on-site daily from 7pm until close of business
- Return to table service with the removal of QR codes, and a focus on increasing customer-facing staff
- Reintroduce ability to book unpaid time off via the rota system
- All training be paid and provided on-site
To top it all, we’re standing up against what we believe is a clear act of trade union victimisation. Our colleague Awed, a migrant kitchen worker from Sudan at the Stratford branch, was suddenly dismissed just one day after our union, United Voices of the World (UVW), formally notified Draughts of our intention to ballot for strike action. Management claimed it was due to “reduced staffing needs,” but Awed had a spotless record and was let go without any warning, consultation or fair process. We believe he was targeted simply for being active in our union.
UVW is taking legal action, including filing for emergency tribunal relief (aka interim relief) to try to get Awed reinstated. This is about more than one worker—it's about our right to organise and be treated with dignity.
Strikes in bars, pubs and restaurants are very rare, even though workers across the hospitality sector are under-valued and taken for granted. We are taking a stand for justice - not just for us but for all workers across our industry who are also suffering from poor working conditions.
Please support our crowdfunder to help cover legal costs, our strike and build our campaign to fight back.
Brune explains the workers' demands >>
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made