The TGI Fridays staff at two branches are holding walk-outs in the UK’s first strike over tipping.
In February the dining chain redistributed 40 percent of tips paid on credit and debit cards to backhouse staff, in lieu of a wage increase.
The 24-hour strike is taking place in London’s Covent Garden and Milton Keynes where waiting staff are angry about the loss of card tips, after not being properly consulted.
The back-house staff have also expressed unhappiness in the redistribution of tips, being preferred a rise in basic pay.
Restaurants in Trafford Centre, Greater Manchester, and Piccadilly, London, join action set for next Friday.
“Our team members are a part of our Fridays family and we care about them,” said a TGI Fridays spokesperson.
“We believe all our team members should be – and are – treated and paid fairly … We are listening [to the workers] and are collectively working to find a resolution. In the meantime, we will be doing all we can to ensure our guests receive the usual great dining experience and that the restaurant remains open as normal.”
Dave Turnbull from Unite made clear that the strikes were not about the waiting staff not wanting to share tips with kitchen colleagues, but was about “greedy” owners who “no longer want to pay their hardworking staff anything above the bare minimum”.
“Unite is warning TGI Fridays of a summer of disruption if management don’t do the decent thing and sit down with us to find a sensible solution to this dispute,” added Turnball.
TGI Fridays has 83 restaurants across the UK.
TGI Fridays was one of the 43 hospitality sector firms that were fined for failing to pay staff the National Minimum Wage. The group had to pay 2,300 staff £25 each for the purchase of their black uniform shoes.