Malmaison Hotel in Leeds photo Wikimedia

Malmaison Hotel in Leeds photo Wikimedia   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

Unite activists demonstrated outside Malmaison hotels to fight against tip stealing and workplace bullying. In Leeds, Malmaison was hosting a wedding fair to show what facilities it had as a wedding venue. Activists went into the wedding fair and pretended to be planning their weddings. A photo was then taken in the wedding fair holding up Unite the Union signs.

On seeing the signs, staff asked us to leave and one member of staff tried to take the phone off one of the protesters. Despite the attempts of management we managed to get some pictures before peacefully leaving.

We then set up speakers and flags outside Malmaison and handed out leaflets telling people about the mistreatment of staff as well as informing staff members of their right to unionise.

We call for all workers to be given 100% of their tips, an end to workplace discrimination and a real living wage for all staff.

Maddy Steeds

This version of this article was first posted on the Socialist Party website on 27 February 2017 and may vary slightly from the version subsequently printed in The Socialist.