UNDERPAID staff fighting for the living wage at the popular Ritzy cinema in Brixton have rejected a new pay offer by just one vote.

Twenty-four voted to reject the pay offer, which represented pay increases over a two-year period, and 23 were in favour when the Bectu ballot closed on Tuesday with a 60 per cent turnout.

Heated talks at conciliation service Acas ran until 3am on July 31 in a desperate bid to try to end the bitter dispute at the Picturehouse cinema, famed for screening cult arthouse films, which has seen nearly four months of repeated industrial action by its angry staff.

The offer included an 80p per hour supplement that factored in time worked, holiday entitlement, sickness absence and pension contributions.

Although the offer fell short of paying the London living wage of £8.80 per hour, it pledged to pay this rate to all staff on main grades by September next year.

Bectu chief steward at the Ritzy said: “The close vote tells us that a negotiated settlement is within reach if management is willing to reconsider its position.”