Glasgow bar Broadcast shuts for improvements after staff complaint

Broadcast workers Emma Donnelly, Connor Tweedie, Yana Petticrew, Ciaran Rogers, and Martha Barr raised a grievance

A Glasgow bar has closed to fix health, safety and contractual issues raised in a complaint by staff.

Eleven employees at Broadcast on Sauchiehall Street signed a letter last week listing more than 50 issues.

Unite the union said that within a week, two new employees were dismissed - but both have now been reinstated.

Union members met with the bar's owners on Wednesday and agreed on a plan to resolve the issues and improve working conditions.

• Bar staff say safety complaints led to dismissal

The late-night bar has closed while building improvement work is carried out and will not reopen until all parties are satisfied that working conditions have improved.

Staff will be paid their full wage while the work is carried out, the employers said.

Broadcast is located on Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow

It is not known how long the venue will be closed, but a bar spokesperson said they hoped it would not be for a prolonged period.

Unite said the grievance complaint represented 75% of Broadcast's staff and lists "some of the worst breaches of health and safety we've ever dealt with".

On Tuesday, Broadcast said it was "shocked" by the allegations and arranged to meet staff and the union to discuss them.

The letter alleged several health and safety issues, including staff being exposed to black mould in the office, bar and toilets.

It claimed the disabled toilets were without alarms.

A staff toilet which fell into disrepair

It also alleged failures to pay staff holiday wages, sick pay and outstanding wages or issue staff contracts.

Staff claimed signatories had been taken off the rota or had their hours cut.

Owner Paul Cardow also runs Sneaky Pete's in Edinburgh, as well as popular Glasgow festival Stag and Dagger and gig booker PCL Presents.

'Urgent steps'

A spokesperson for Broadcast said: "We had a frank and open meeting with five representatives of Broadcast Union and their Unite representatives, and we have agreed on a positive pathway to resolve their concerns.

"Broadcast will close with immediate effect to carry out improvement works on the building and will reopen when all parties are satisfied that working conditions have improved.

"Urgent steps are also being taken to resolve the other issues raised by staff.

"We hope the closure will not be for a prolonged period, but we cannot yet say when it will reopen.

"Staff will be paid their wages during this time."

A corner of the staff office

Bryan Simpson, lead organiser for Unite Hospitality, said: "After more than four hours of frank, open, and positive negotiations between the owner of Broadcast and our lead reps there, we have agreed a pathway to resolve the health, safety and security issues as well as the outstanding contractual issues.

"We have firm commitments in writing from Mr Cardow that extensive work will now be carried out in the building to address the mould and air-conditioning as well as resolving long-standing security issues.

"This means that Broadcast will need to close with immediate effect until working conditions are improved and the union are satisfied.

"During this time, all workers will be paid their full wage."