Savoy workers treated 'unfairly'

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The Savoy Hotel has been criticised for the "shoddy" treatment of "loyal" workers following the hotel's closure for refurbishment on Saturday.

The GMB Union said the hotel's decision to make long-term staff reapply for their jobs after the 16-month closure was unfair and disrespectful.

Nearly 500 staff, some of whom had been employed for 30 years, lost their jobs.

Kiaran McDonald, the hotel's general manager, said the length of refit meant staff would have to be reassessed.

'Loyal servants'

Raj Gill, branch secretary of the GMB general union for hotels and catering, said the Savoy is fulfilling its contractual obligations to the workers, and they are being offered statutory redundancy pay.

But he said that with some of the workers having spent 30 years as "loyal servants" to the hotel, it should be seeking to do more than simply adhere to its minimum contractual obligations.

"I mean the Savoy Hotel, it's a top-brand hotel, they should be treating their workers with a bit more respect."

These have been incredibly loyal staff, and this has been an incredibly profitable hotel, and it's the staff that make the hotel GMB Union spokesman

He added: "Instead of new starters, I think the Savoy needs to bear in mind they have a lot of experience in the staff that they need to utilise.

"I would say people who are in their mid-to-late 40s, 50s, are going to find it difficult to find gainful employment."

Respect for staff

But Mr McDonald said the hotel valued its staff extremely highly.

He said the decision to ask them to reapply for their jobs was to take into consideration the way people's careers may have moved on while the hotel is shut.

Mr McDonald said: "The Savoy is closing its doors for 16 months, that's nearly two years, that's a very long time in anyone's life."

He said: "The Savoy's success over the years has been absolutely based on its people, we have always recognised that.

Hopefully we will be able to welcome back as many as we can Kiaran McDonald, Savoy Hotel

"We're staying in contact with every single one of our colleagues, we have their addresses, we know where they have gone."

Mr McDonald said the Savoy had actively tried to find jobs for the nearly 500 staff made redundant due to the refurbishment, and that 97% had been successful.

He said that he could not disclose the redundancy packages received by staff, but that he considered the most important thing was that they had found on-going employment.

"Hopefully we will be able to welcome back as many as we can.

"I don't care if they are 20 years of age or 60 years of age, if they are the right sort of people for the Savoy," he said.