STAFF at four London cinemas walked out over the weekend in a long-running dispute over pay and union recognition.

Workers at the Picturehouse cinema chain have been involved in a bitter 10-month campaign in a fight to be paid the £9.75 per hour London living wage (LLW) and for their union Bectu to be recognised.

The 48-hour stoppage involving around 300 workers coincided with London’s Sundance Film Festival, held at the Piccadilly Central cinema from June 1-4.

The union claims Picturehouse bosses have reneged on a promise to enter discussions chaired by conciliation service Acas to resolve the dispute.

And in what Bectu described as an “appalling” move, the company recently suspended six union reps in “an attempt by Picturehouse to intimidate our members.”

The Picturehouse chain is owned by cinema giant Cineworld, which made £83.8 million profit in 2015 and operates 226 cinemas across Europe, half of which are in Britain.

A letter signed by actors including Sir Ian McKellan, Susan Sarandon and Sir Patrick Stewart, film director Ken Loach and shadow chancellor John McDonnell earlier this year urged the public to boycott Picturehouse and Cineworld, demanding better pay and conditions for staff.

Bectu general secretary Gerry Morrissey told the Star: “Morale is very good and the strike is strong. Our members are clear that they will continue to fight.”

He explained that strike action took place across four sites — Hackney, Brixton, Crouch End and Piccadilly Central.

Mr Morrissey added: “We want the LLW, proper sick pay and trade union recognition across all sites.

“Workers won a wage increase after a previous strike but pay has fallen behind the LLW again.

“We believe shareholders were deliberately misled at the meeting on May 18 when they were told the company were prepared to enter talks with Bectu.

“Bectu asked Acas to invite them to meet with us however they have not accepted the invitation so far.

“Instead they have suspended six of our reps and are taking disciplinary action against them. We are clear that this is an attack on the union and victimisation of trade union reps and we will take it to a tribunal if necessary.

“Our members will be meeting this week to decide the next steps which is likely to include further industrial action.”