Lambeth Greens congratulate the staff of Ritzy Cinema in their successful campaign to receive the London Living Wage, as Streatham’s Green Councillor Scott Ainslie calls for Lambeth council to become an Ethical Care Council.
The Lambeth Green Party congratulates the success of Ritzy Cinema staff’s ongoing campaign to secure a living wage.
After a campaign of strikes, protests and boycotts, staff at Ritzy Cinema managed to secure a Living Wage for all staff. Initially, Cineworld, the multinational corporation owning the Picture House chain agreed to give staff a pay rise. But the cinema said it could only increase the wage if it reduced staff.
The sudden announcement of job cuts sent a clear message that accepting a living wage would be at the expense of jobs. However, after rival chain Curzon announced it would pay all its staff a Living Wage, the Picturehouse franchise backtracked on its decision to cut jobs.
Ritzy Cinema in Lambeth, photograph courtesy of Kissuth.
Streatham’s Green councillor Scott Ainslie said: “Greens want to support all low wage workers across Lambeth where many low paid workers are lucky to get the £6.50 national minimum wage. That is why I am calling on Lambeth Council to become an Ethical Care Council“
Jonathan Bartley, the Green Party’s Parliamentary candidate for Streatham said: “More and more businesses are realising that paying a fair wage is not only the right thing to do but makes good business sense in the long term. ”
Next week sees the start of Living Wage Week when the Living Wage sum is calculated. In February 2009 Lambeth’s Green Party Councillor, Becca Thackray tabled a Motion which was passed, endorsing the principle of a Living Wage for all those carrying out work for the London Borough of Lambeth.