![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20195992.jpg\"\/)
<\/a>\n<\/p>\n\n Stella Small, the lead representative in the franchised Starbucks branch, said: \u201cDespite the union victories over the summer, the Village Hotel continues to prove it does not value its workers.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cVillage Hotel made \u00a3260 million last year and yet, in Starbucks and the Pub & Grill, the wage is still divided by age, with the highest earning hospitality workers still not earning what the government considers to be the real living wage.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n Striking workers are demanding the real living wage for all employees, equal pay for younger colleagues, taxi fares for late and unsafe shifts, trade union recognition, and correct overtime payments for workers in the Starbucks branch.\n<\/p>\n
\n Small said \u201cthe Village benefits<\/a> from Starbucks\u2019 existing customer base\u201d yet \u201cthey pay their workers the lowest wage out of any franchised Starbucks\u201d.\n<\/p>\n \n An organiser for the Glasgow branch of Unite hospitality, Yana Petticrew, said between 90 to 95% of workers across Starbucks and the Pub & Grill restaurant are trade union members, \u201ca couple\u201d of whom are new joiners. Through this action, they hope to \u201cgrow through other departments, really targeting housekeeping, the gym and reception\u201d.\n<\/p>\n \n READ MORE:<\/strong> Anas Sarwar silent amid Labour U-turn on workers’ rights<\/strong><\/a>\n<\/p>\n \n Daniel Friel, Unite\u2019s national convenor for the Village Hotel, echoed Petticrew\u2019s ambitions to grow the strike, highlighting \u201ctwo more Village Hotels in Leeds planning on taking industrial action\u201d with the same mandate as workers in Glasgow.\n<\/p>\n \n Friel also acknowledged workers from Vue cinema in the St Enoch<\/a> centre, who recently announced four weeks of demonstrations from December 11 until January 7. Some of the cinema workers were in attendance on Friday.\n<\/p>\n \n Workers held a banner which read: \u201cThe great thing about being with Blackstone is that money is not a problem.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \n The quote is attributed to the Village Hotel chief executive Gary Davis and references the hotel\u2019s parent company, Blackstone, an American private equity firm which acquired the business<\/a> in 2024 and reported revenues of $13.23bn in the same year.\n<\/p>\n \n Calling out Davis directly, Friel said: \u201cWe want Gary to put to Blackstone that the staff outside on the picket line are themselves a good investment.\u201d\n<\/p>\n