Hull Culture and Leisure Employees protest for equal treatment from Council
Up to 320 leisure and culture staff in Hull are going to be affected by new changes proposed by the council which may divide the workforce.
Last updated 25th Mar 2024
Over 100 workers are expected to take part in a demonstration today outside Guildhall in Hull. Staff working at HCAL (Hull Culture and Leisure) will take to the streets in protest at the city council’s plan to divide the culture and leisure workforce.
HCAL runs leisure facilities including parks, swimming pools, libraries and museums across the city and is owned by the council.
The council are proposing to bring a small number of HCAL workers back into the council which a union says will create a two-tier workforce in pay and conditions.
Kieran Johnson, a leisure assistant said: “They’re unfair because they have not spoken to anyone about it and they’re picking who they want to bring across, we all moved across to HCAL together, so we all want to go back together.
“The way they’ve done it only to take so many back and leave the others is not acceptable.”
Up to 320 HCAL workers are going to be affected by the change and have not been formally notified about the move.
Cal Burn, a GMB branch secretary said: “I think the staff that work at HCAL are all dedicated, some of them are the lowest paid employees in the city and they do a good job in the museums, the art galleries and sports centres- they deserve to be heard.”
The Union GMB has an ongoing petition signed by members who work at these venues, demanding that all services are brought-in house by Hull city council.
Liz Marshall, a GMB organiser said: “We call on the cabinet meeting to start listening and do the right thing by moving to bring all leisure staff back into the council.”
Hull city council replied with a statement which said:
"Hull Culture and Leisure is an ‘in-house company’ established by Hull City Council and subject to similar control to that which the council applies to its in-house departments, as is required by law.
"There are currently proposals under consideration that seek to rationalise management arrangements in relation to those staff who work in parks so that they work together, in one service, to remove confusion to the public and their elected representatives."
The council report is due to be formally proposed today.