G1 Leisure Group, owned by Stefan King, is to abolish its zero-hour contracts after coming under pressure from workers’ rights campaigners.
The Glasgow-based business, which runs bars, restaurants and nightclubs across Scotland, including The Corinthian Club and Arta in Glasgow and Ghillie Dhu and Cabaret Voltaire in Edinburgh, has come under fire for its treatment of workers.
Staff have blasted the company of paying below the national minimum wage and unpaid lengthy trial shifts.
The Better Than Zero campaign, organised by Bryan Simpson, has spearheaded the protest against the company.
The organisation previously protested in Glasgow’s Ashton Lane, home to G1 premises Ketchup and The Grosvenor Cafe, where they called for staff to be paid the living wage and a ban on zero-hour contracts.
Following talks between G1 Group and Better Than Zero G1 has agreed to implement new employment contracts, concessions on uniforms and training, no more punishments involving the keeping of gratuities or docking of wages and to adopt the ‘Tronc’ system, which lets staff decide how electronic tips are allocated.
Sepaking to STV, Simpson said, “It’s not just the largest hospitality firm in Glasgow but it’s also among the worst – they have been fined twice for failing to pay staff minimum wage and have been the focus of our campaign from the outset.
“Complaints were so systematic – we had former workers come to us saying they had been treated unbelievably and had been forced out.
“The promise to abolish zero-hour contracts is a big symbolic one, and the tronc tip system is really good as well.
“This could be a future landmark for hospitality systems in Scotland.”
Lesley Welsh, chief operating officer of G1, said, “The hospitality industry has come under criticism recently, however, the truth is that working in hospitality is not only fun but is rewarding and gives people great career opportunities.
“The meeting with Bryan and the Better Than Zero group was the first time we’d met so it’s good to have had the chance to clear up misunderstandings and share our successful initiatives including employee contracts and the launch of tronc.”