HUNDREDS of Harrods workers are balloting for strike action over Christmas, United Voices of the World (UVW) announced today.

The luxury London department store’s retail, restaurant, kitchen and cleaning departments face the “strong possibility” of a walkout starting on December 19, the union said.

The departments’ workers are calling for their demands for fair pay and working conditions to be addressed after Harrods handed out £180 million in bonuses to its owners and awarding a £2.1m salary to its managing director.

Workers are meanwhile facing stripped benefits, overwork due to staff shortages and stagnant wages, the union said.
 
The UVW has served Harrods with an official notice of intention to ballot as its managers refuse to recognise or engage with their union for negotiations.

Harrods has faced recent scrutiny over its handling of worker allegations of rape and sexual abuse against former owner Mohammed Al Fayed.  

UVW general secretary Petros Elia said: “Much like a modern-day Scrooge, Harrods is denying Christmas bonuses and fair wages for its dedicated workforce, prioritising profits and paying grotesque sums to its owners — the richest people in the world — over the well-being of those who contribute to its impressive financial results.”

Cleaner Lourenco Hernandes said: “People feel disrespected and bullied, and some of us, the part-time cleaners, are forced to work nine days in a row, which means we hardly ever get a weekend off.
 
“One of the biggest problems is the staff shortage. We used to have some 60 cleaners on the early morning shift, and now there are less than half that.”

Harrods declined to comment, saying that it does not recognise UVW as a union.