TRADE union campaigners shamed a billionaire hotel owner in London yesterday over his exploitation of staff through poverty pay and zero-hours contracts.

Tycoon Gabriel Escarrer is founder of the Melia Hotels International group, which owns three luxury hotels in the capital.

He was guest speaker at the annual British Travel and Hospitality Hall of Fame awards at the Dorchester Hotel, where protesters presented Mr Escarrer with his own Hall of Shame award.

Union Unite said that despite promoting itself as a socially responsible and ethical employer, Melia denies its British workforce the same trade union rights enjoyed by workers in other countries where the company operates.

National officer Rhys McCarthy said: “Instead of being a standard-bearer for ethical practice, it has adopted the exploitative business model of poverty pay and zero-hours contracts that has tainted the UK hotel sector for decades.”

Melia was unavailable for comment.