“WE’RE showing people that we don’t have to put up with this — we can stand together and hopefully see some serious change in the industry.”

2022 is seeing a wave of industrial action sweep Britain. Rail workers, posties, outsourced NHS staff, perhaps even civil servants soon — wherever you look, you’ll find a determined fightback against years of deteriorating pay and working conditions.

Should we be surprised to hear that bar staff are set to join the list? Looking at the national picture, perhaps not, but focusing on the sector itself, most certainly. 

Bad bosses have typically had free rein to exploit the many young, non-unionised students that make up much of the workforce across the industry.

But a small group of workers in a central Brighton pub are trying to change all that.

Last month, 100 per cent of Saint James Tavern’s bar staff, represented by the United Voices of the World (UVW) union, voted unanimously to strike, demanding greater respect, better pay and improved terms and conditions.

Some of the employees are even suing their bosses, taking allegations of sexism, homophobia, transphobia, disability discrimination and anti-semitic comments to an employment tribunal, with a legal claim recently submitted.

The pub, which specialises in rum and Lebanese food, is located on St James’ Street, an area famed for its queer spaces.

The site is leased from Stonegate Group, the largest pub company in the country, to the current owners, Zakaria Abedi and Victoria Bennett, who took over in autumn 2020.

The work environment has become increasingly “toxic” since their arrival, one of the bar managers, Jake Marvin, warns.

Marvin, who has worked at the pub for more than four years under various owners, accuses the pair of micro-managing himself and the team, despite never having run a pub previously themselves, and engaging in increasingly aggressive outbursts.

Talking to the Star — the first media outlet granted an interview by the strikers — Marvin says that the situation has deteriorated further in recent weeks.

“We feel the harassment has definitely become focused on any of the staff that they know are involved in organising, trying to make the shifts as unenjoyable as possible, constantly messaging people out of hours.”

The fact that the tavern is run independently of a large firm should allow it more freedom to operate independently, he points out, but the owners “have taken that to mean that we just don’t have to follow the rules.

“It just feels like they’re saying, ‘I own it, I can do what I want.’ It is their business, they can take it in whatever direction they like, but they also need to treat their staff right and follow basic statutory rules that we feel have been neglected or ignored entirely.”

The workers are demanding an end to zero-hours contracts, a fixed pay date, £11.50 an hour as a minimum for all staff and occupational sick pay, including cover for Covid-19-related absences, which they have lacked during the pandemic.

They also want no cuts to staff hours and voluntary recognition of UVW as their union.

A demand for a security response team to be contactable during work hours was only met after they announced their intention to ballot for industrial action. Marvin’s call for the workforce to be offered more protection came after he was assaulted twice by customers.

“We’re asking for things that we feel need to happen across the sector — we’re underpaid, we’re not secure, there are people exploiting students and taking advantage of people who do just need that seasonal work. Not paying them properly or giving them the holiday pay or pension that they’re entitled to.

“Really it goes deeper. We could have just gone elsewhere [for work] but we want to start something. There’s plenty of places — from small cafes to big chain pubs — where they take advantage of workers.”

UVW general secretary Petros Elia has welcomed the dispute, saying: “Pub worker strikes are very rare to see and are much-needed to overcome the low wages and poor treatment that ravage the sector.

“That’s why this strike is of paramount importance, not just for these amazing workers but for all hospitality workers. We’re calling on the movement to back them because a win for them is a win for all.”

It has not been an easy one to organise, stresses Marvin, who says just getting all his colleagues into a room at the same time has been a challenge.

“We’ve got people working from 11am to the early hours so trying to get everyone together to work a plan of action is just a nightmare. Bosses, by design or by chance, are taking advantage of that.”

In response to the allegations, the leaseholders have said: “We’re not breaking any laws here. All staff receive their holiday pay and sick pay. We have even paid some staff in advance when they are going on holiday or need money earlier as they are waiting for their student loans.

“It is usual within the pub industry sector to have more staff in the summer periods and less staff in the winter months, hence why zero-hour contracts are utilised. Staff are well aware of this when interviewed.

“We feel that some of our staff going to a union and submitting complaints was instigated by someone who we barred at our establishment who has been egging on the staff and poisoning them against us.

“Local businesses, public houses, restaurants, coffee shops and residents are thanking us, saying it’s the best this pub has looked for years.”

According to Marvin, there’s been nothing but support for the workers from other pubs in the area, with the nearby Mucky Duck becoming a “second home” for the strikers.

Encouragement from former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who recently visited the staff, and Labour MP Nadia Whittome, who has spoken out on social media, is “surreal” but very welcome, he says.

It is a sign that this dispute, which could see its first strike next month, may be the start of another special chapter in this year’s growing working-class fightback.

The latest updates from the campaign and details on how to get involved can be found here.