by Felicity Collier

WORKERS at the Cineworld-owned Picturehouse chain have staged the biggest strike in the history of the British cinema industry to demand the London living wage (LLW), entertainment union Bectu said yesterday.

Staff from the Ritzy in Brixton, Picturehouse Central in Piccadilly, Crouch End Picturehouse and Hackney Picturehouse withdrew their labour on Saturday to coincide with the Bafta film awards over the weekend.

Bectu said that Cineworld had not agreed to workers’ requests for negotiations on equal sick pay, maternity and paternity pay, fair wage rises and union recognition.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan backed the workers’s cause, sending a letter to Cineworld chief executive Mooky Greidinger saying: “I would urge you to do everything possible to ensure staff receive the LLW. Providing the LLW makes a real difference to families in in-work poverty.”

Mr Khan said he aimed to make London the world’s first living wage city.

Ritzy worker Kiv Legate said: “The fact that Sadiq Khan has come out in support of our campaign is exemplary of the widespread support we receive in our push for LLW.

“It is ridiculous that a company that turns over as much profit as Cineworld don’t see it as necessary to treat their workers ethically and value us as people trying to live in one of the most expensive cities in the world.”

Ritzy workers have been campaigning to be paid the LLW since 2014. They have gained the support of TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady, film director Ken Loach, author Will Self and football legend Eric Cantona.

Marianne Skovdahl, who works at Crouch End Picturehouse, said: “We love our jobs and invest a lot in Picturehouse. We don’t think it’s too much to ask that they also invest properly in us.

“We have chosen an independent trade union to represent us and we reject the staff forum, a union set up and funded by Picturehouse, because it is compromised and lacking the proper resources.”

A TUC online petition has been signed by more than 13,500 people. It points out that Mr Greidinger earned £1.2 million in 2015 — the equivalent of £575 per hour — and the company’s post-tax profit stood at £83.8 million.

Picturehouse workers are calling for an hourly rate of pay of £9.75.

The petition can be found at: campaign.goingtowork.org.uk.