Fears of Christmas shopping chaos as staff at iconic department store threaten to strike
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FEARS have been raised strikes at a major department store over the busy Christmas period could lead to shopper chaos. Workers with the United Voices of the World (UVW) union have voted to strike on three days in the coming weeks. Staff members from the retail, restaurant, kitchen and cleaning departments will walk out on December 21, 22 and 26.
![[Workers at Harrods have threatened strike action for three days over Christmas]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/view-harrods-department-store-london-936101208.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
They will strike from 8pm on December 20 to 9.30pm on December 22 and 12am to 9.30pm on December 26. Harrods said around 176 workers have voted to strike. UVW said its members will walk out if the department store continues to deny them a Christmas bonus and improved working conditions.
Alice Howick, Harrods waiter and UVW member, said: “Striking is a last resort for us and will only happen if Harrods continues to be unreasonable in responding to our demands. "All we ask is that Harrods respects its employees and agrees to negotiate with us, as members of the UVW union, so a conclusion can be reached.".
The UVW union is asking for workers to be given a £500 Christmas bonus, guaranteed annual pay increase above the Retail Price Index (RPI) measure of inflation and end to mandatory bank holiday work for cleaners. It is also asking for an end to forcing part-time cleaners to work nine consecutive days and a daily meal allowance for restaurant and kitchen workers.
