Reaction to Wetherspoons “U-turn”

Reacting to news of Wetherspoons U-turn and agreement to pay ‘furloughed’ staff before receiving funds from the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, Alex MacIntyre, BFAWU Branch 101 Secretary and Wetherspoon’s worker said: 

“Wetherspoon’s U-turn is welcome. We should never have had to wait till the end of April to be paid. We’re still waiting for confirmation that we’ll be paid 100% of our wages as this is not yet clear. Even on 100% of our wages we struggle to get by because they’re so low. Nobody should have to worry about paying bills, rent or buying food when they work for such a profitable company.  Instead the company has cruelly caused enormous stress and anxiety to its 40,000+ employees. This was an active decision by the company in the midst of a crisis that is affecting the entire world. It is only by coming together to support each other that we can make sure it is not workers who suffer whilst our employers look after their profits. We will not forget this abandonment by the company of its workers. There’s power in a union. Solidarity”