Hands off casino tips

21 February 2012

1,100 LOW PAID STAFF IN 32 GROSVENOR CASINOS OUTSIDE LONDON TO FIGHT SENIOR MANAGEMENT ATTEMPT TO STEAL THEIR TIPS

Tips when given directly to staff are then the property of the staff and nothing to do with the employer says casino workers union GMB

GMB members employed by Grosvenor Casinos in non-gaming roles in 32 sites outside London are challenging Grosvenor management attempts to steal the tips given to 1,100 staff by patrons. Waitresses, restaurant staff and other non-gaming employees who accept tips have also been refused a pay rise this year by their employer due to the fact that they receive tips directly from customers.

The 1,100 non- gaming staff are employed at 32 casinos in Birmingham, Blackpool, Bolton, Brighton, Bristol, Broadstairs in Kent, Coventry, Cardiff (2), Dundee, Great Yarmouth, Huddersfield, Leeds, Liverpool, Luton, Manchester (3), Newcastle Upon Tyne, Plymouth, Portsmouth (2), Reading, Salford, Scarborough, Sheffield, Southampton, Stockton-on-Tees, Stoke on Trent, Swansea, Walsall, and Wirral, New Brighton.

These 1,100 staff were astonished to find that Ernst and Young the advisor appointed by Grosvenor Casinos to oversee the Gaming Tronc which distributes tips to 600 gaming staff has made the threat that, unless non-gaming staff hand over tips “the company would need to take a view on alternative options, one being to possibly disband the tronc”.

The Gaming Tronc committee was first informed of these proposed changes on January 3rd by advisors Ernst & Young. Ernst and Young have only an “an observational and administrative role” to oversee the tips for the 600 gaming staff and have no role whatsoever in dealing with the tips of the1,100 non gaming staff in these 32 clubs.

Ernst and Young seem to have given a very long presentation on company strategy and its intentions for non-gaming employees. It appears from company minutes, that the tronc committee felt that those who would be impacted would not wish to see this change with those present at the meeting clearly stating that their general view was that these staff were likely to suffer a loss.

Jim Boylan of Ernst and Young informed those present that he did not necessarily agree with this and went on to say “ if the proposals were voted against then the company would need to take a view on alternative options, one being to possibly disband the Gaming Tronc”.

Adrian Baker, National Casinos Organiser, said “GMB consider that tips when given directly to staff that they are then the property of the staff and nothing to do with the employer. When the traditionally low paid staff were offered their jobs they were informed that they could retain their tips as part of their job.

GMB is very surprised as to where Mr Boylan has obtained his information on what GMB members think. GMB has yet to find a single member of staff who will be affected that agrees with his representation to the tronc committee on their position.

I have one simple question for Mr Boylan. Why is he sticking his nose into matters relating to our member's property?

These changes which the company appear to be trying to push through are proposed on the grounds of teamwork but this is just an excuse as the different treatment for London based staff shows.

The company has stated that it will not try to implement this across their London estate and neither will the company be asking management to place their bonuses into the staff tip pool. The company realise that it is best to avoid confrontation within their London estate as they would potentially face a backlash from union members.

The non-gaming staff affected not had any input on the composition of the committee dealing with the tips for gaming staff who are now to be given a role over their tips. In some instances the non-gaming staff have also been told by their employer that if they discuss this matter with colleagues at other clubs also affected they may face disciplinary action.

GMB is supporting a growing number of grievance actions across the companies' provincial estate by those affected and we encourage staff across the country to support their colleagues' in these actions.

GMB and the non-gaming employees understand the legal implications in respect of gaming tips and the need for a gaming tronc committee to administer gaming gratuities received by gaming staff. Whatever this tronc committee decides to do with gaming tips is entirely up to them but this committee was not elected by and has never even bothered to consult with the non-gaming staff who will be affected by these proposals.

The gaming tronc members have effectively been placed in the disgraceful position of take the tips from their less well-off non-gaming colleagues or the company will take tips from gaming staff. GMB ask that the company seek the direct view of the staff affected and ask that the tronc committee for gaming staff look again at this situation. Should any Grosvenor staff wish to seek advice on this matter we would ask that they contact casinos@gmb.org.uk .”

---

Press releases, papers and documents published on this page are the intellectual property of an organisation unrelated to Central Lobby. We promote their parliamentary and political campaigning activities as they are subscribers to the Central Lobby service.

As such, Central Lobby does not edit, endorse, or attempt to balance the opinions expressed on this page. The content of press releases and other such types of content are the responsibility of the originating organisation.