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Our requests: ? A London Living Wage (currently ?9.75/hr) ? Recognition of the BECTU sector of Prospect at East Dulwich Picturehouse and other PH cinemas ? Fair pay rises for supervisors, managers, chefs, sound technicians & projectionists ? Company sick pay for all staff ? Company maternity/paternity/ adoption pay for all staff ? The option of fixed term contracts I take your point about using the examples of other places that pay the LLW and where similar work is done. This would probably be more appealing to the public. We are currently working on a map of London that shows cinemas that pay the conditions we are asking for. It's not complete yet but the BFI, ArtHouse and Barbican are on it. I think a company that makes ?93.8 million post-tax profit a year can pay the LLW. We've made a very rough calculation and we think they could still make ?90m post-tax profit and pay us. For all of us involved this movement isn't just about us. It's about all workers, especially those on the lower end. Some people have to work jobs that pay badly all their lives and they should be given the opportunity to have a family. People should not have to go to work ill out of a fear of missing their rent payments. It's about justice and a more equal distribution of income towards a fairer society. The RSC staff asked to be paid the LLW. The company said no. They joined BECTU (our union) and reps from the union negotiated with the company and an agreement to pay the living wage was reached before any strike took place. We tried this, as i said earlier: "The Living Staff Living Wage campaign began in 2014 where the Ritzy won a 26% pay rise and an agreement to re-negotiate towards the Living Wage in June 2016. The company back-tracked on this agreement and refuse to negotiate at all". Since then the company have refused to meet union reps. We would much rather achieve our aims the easy way but we feel we have been left with no option. Seven months on, there are now 6 sites striking and more joining soon. What do you think we should do instead?

Sorry if this is in bold, i don't mean to make it look like i'm shouting! dbboy, as i've said before when i and my colleagues took the job we were aware of our power to change the terms of employment. we've already gotten a pay increase and we are going to keep going until our original demand of the LLW is met. The strike does affect head office. If a cinema is closed it affects profit. And some of the managers will be on the picket line with us. For those managers that are not, the point is to cause a disruption. It's a strike. If we close the cinema, get the attention of the public and hurt PH's profits and reputation that's a win for us. LLW is the end goal. You say we should try meeting management. If you had read what I posted earlier they have refused to meet with our chosen union for over a year. This is why we feel the need to strike. I am repeating myself here. JoeLeg, i should have been clearer about the maternity/paternity pay, sorry. I don't think it explains how bad that support is. As I've said before comparing the pay of one under paid worker to another isn't of interest to us but if you insist one cinema that provides what we are asking for is the ArtHouse in Crouch End and the Royal Shakespeare Company front of house staff. The RSC got these demands by joining the union we are part of...

Dbboy: It's telling that under the heading of "Sick Pay, Holiday, Pension, Maternity and Paternity " you've copied and pasted there is no mention of Maternity and Paternity pay. As I've said before sick pay only applies to those that have worked at the company for more than a year (about five members of front of house at our site)and unfortunately people sometimes get sick before 12 months in their new job has passed. JoeLeg: I completely agree with you about zero-hour contracts and think anyone who has a job should be able to afford to raise a family. On that reason alone would you not support our strike? El Presidente: The cinema will be open as normal until 1pm when we walk out. In terms of turnout on the day, only time will tell but no more than 50 people I'd say. Beyond that we are not sure if the cinema will remain open. Other sites in the past have shut down their cinema and some have remained open. As our site is quite small this would be easy to do with say three managers opposed to the strike and the strike breakers PH have been hiring only to cover strikes over the last few months. If the cinema does remain open we ask supportive members of the public not to cross the picket line for the rest of the day and if they've already purchased tickets to ask for a refund

Again, you're justifying what we perceive to be one inequality based on another. Perhaps we will not be able to get passed this point. Also, there is no provision for sick pay. What do you expect a member of staff to do if they are ill for three weeks and can't pay rent? Just not get sick? What if they were to have a child? Or do people on zero-hour contacts, of which there are almost 1m in the UK, not deserve to have children?

"whomever it is accessing this very public forum to very publicly attack their employer. Most, if not all companies would consider that a sackable offense, btw" We are going on strike, it's hardly a surprise to our employer. We told them two weeks ago, as we are legally required to do. We also get legal advice from our union and this is all absolutely fine. thanks for your concern though

I don't know in much detail to be honest. The London Living Wage is what we think should be the minimum pay to anyone in London. It's calculated as what you need to live a decent life here. We think it should be the starting point and any harder or more demanding work etc after that should be paid more above this rate. The idea that someone gets paid less than you for doing something similar isn't really interesting to us. If someone gets paid ?6.50 an hour we think that's unfair. We don't believe that justifying one inequality based on another is a compelling argument.

I don't know the total cost of their overheads, no. I do know that they own the building they are in in East Dulwich and have recently purchased the old Irish Shop next door in order to expand, most likely in to a private screening room. What we do know, however, is that Cineworld made post tax profits of ?83.3 million in 2015 and in figures just announced yesterday, made ?93.8 million post tax profit for 2016. I also think it's safe to assume Peckhamplex are making a profit on their tickets, they've been open and charging the same price for years. JoeLeg, as i've said before, Curzon is a suitable comparison and they pay the living wage... And thanks for the support 'uptheworkers'! come down on the day to support us!

We deliberately chose to start the protest at 1pm so that those attending the Peppa Pig movie showing at 12.15pm could go in and enjoy it and we could tell them about our issues on the way out. To geobz, I and most of the staff do vote for a party different to the current lot in power. 'The Picturehouse seems to be doing whatever is within its legal rights as a company'. Just because it's the legal right of a company to do something doesn't mean a) it morally right or b) that we should just accept it because it's the law and the law is always right as you're suggesting. we are also doing what is legally our right as workers. maybe you think that makes it right then or if not maybe we agree? but just saying it's the law and therefore it's ok is not really an interesting argument. Thanks to John for pointing out that it is possible to pay your staff the London Living Wage and remain profitable. This shouldn't come as a shock to anyone. Otta, i joined the cinema knowing what the wages were and our power to change them. Through our campaigning we have already gained a 28p p/h increase. rendelharris, thanks for pointing out the obvious to Otta there. and yeah there's a few people that never have worked in the service industry and certainly can't imagine their kids ever doing so. the horror. stoo31 and titch juicy thanks for the support. geobz, 'Picturehouse is paying up salaries, staff is asking for way above service level salaries because... they think they deserve it. Thats not how the world works. And 0 hour contracts are legal, change jobs or keep doing it your choice.' We are asking to be paid the same as the nearest comparison, Curzon. 'Thats not how the world works' - you're justifying what we perceive to be one inequality based on another inequality which is a bad argument. Again you're assuming it's correct because it's the law. I'm sure i don't need to remind someone as well educated as yourself that there have been a lot of laws in the past that we now consider abhorrent. Rather than change jobs i have confidence in our power to change our current situation.

Hello everyone, I'm a member of Picturehouse staff at East Dulwich and we are going on strike on Saturday the 15th of April at 1pm. Please come along and support us! Thanks for all the interest and comments so far. I'd just like to offer some more information so that everyone can make an informed decision: The campaign is about the living wage and other issues. Someone else commented saying that the living wage is calculated based on workers paying rent. The vast, vast majority of our staff don't live with their parents. Only two do. The vast majority also don't get sick pay. The situation used to be that you only got sick pay for up to four weeks once you have worked for the company for over a year. This has been cut to only one week sick pay after you've worked a year or more. As our place opened just two years ago, only about 5 members of staff are entitled to this. I and many others have been unwell but have had to come to work or face not paying rent. We are also on 0 hour contracts and this means when the cinema is quiet (say after oscar season and in the sun - eg now) our hours are cut the the minimum they need us. This makes paying rent and planning for the future very hard. Picturehosue was bought by Cineworld a few years ago and they said nothing would change. It has and we love our jobs the way they were. Here's an article in the guardian about us: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/mar/22/sir-ian-mckellen-susan-sarandon-back-picturehouse-cinema-boycott-staff-pay Here's the copy of a leaflet we will be handing out on the day: Picturehouse members voted I, Daniel Blake as their favourite film of last year. Yet since then Picturehouse have cut sick pay from four months to one month while keeping staff on unfair wages. We don't think this and their other treatment of staff is fair. Despite the majority of staff at East Dulwich Picturehouse being members of the BECTU sector of Prospect, Picturehouse has refused to acknowledge our chosen union. Instead they recognize the Staff Forum, a union set up and funded by Picturehouse themselves. We have submitted a request for a Living Wage and improved working conditions and Picturehouse have been entirely unwilling to meet with us. The Living Staff Living Wage campaign began in 2014 where the Ritzy won a 26% pay rise and an agreement to re-negotiate towards the Living Wage in June 2016. The company back-tracked on this agreement and refuse to negotiate at all. Our requests: ? A London Living Wage (?9.75/hr) ? Recognition of the BECTU sector of Prospect at East Dulwich Picturehouse ? Fair pay rises for supervisors, managers, chefs, sound technicians & projectionists ? Company sick pay for all staff ? Company maternity/paternity/ adoption pay Cineworld made ?83.8 million profit in 2015 yet they claim that they cannot afford to meet our needs. Picturehouse pitch themselves as an ethical business. They host independent films and sell fair trade goods. All we ask is that they complete the package, act responsibly and treat us fairly. With the combined force of the Ritzy, Hackney, Central, Crouch End, Duke of Yorks and East Dulwich Picturehouses all on strike, we are now the biggest cinema workers campaign in UK history, but we need your support Here's a link to the facebook event and the text for those of you that don't have an account: https://www.facebook.com/events/1865628870324229/ *PLEASE COME DOWN FOR 12.30pm TO GREET WORKERS AS THEY WALK OUT AT 1pm* ------- EAST DULWICH PICTUREHOUSE WORKERS ARE GOING ON STRIKE! JOIN US OUTSIDE THE CINEMA ON SATURDAY THE 15TH TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT! Picturehouse management have refused to pay us Living Wage, they have refused to recognise our chosen trade union, and they have refused to grant adequate sick pay, maternity and paternity pay. And what?s more, they have refused even to meet with us to discuss these matters. Regrettably, we have been left with no option but to withdraw our labour. Join us from 12.30pm right opposite the cinema where there?ll be music, speeches, a whole bunch of people venting their anger at a company that made ?83.3 million post-tax profit and refuses to negotiate sharing this fairly. The campaign started last year with just one cinema, The Ritzy in Brixton, and now there are 6 cinemas striking together at East Dulwich on the day. The movement is growing but we need your help. Please invite friends and share this event. We?d like as many people there with us as possible! There may well be a trip to the pub after too. See you on Saturday the 15th! --------- please let me know if you've any more questions!