Cineworld offers 3.5% pay rise

BECTU members in Cineworld multiplexes are balloting on this year's pay offer.

Negotiators are recommending them to accept the offer, which was made to projection staff and engineers after weeks of behind-the-scenes talks with management.

Union officials are due to meet the company again on September 19, four days after members finish balloting on the 3.5% across-the-board increase.

Mick Corfield, Chair of BECTU's Cineworld sub-division, said: "I'm delighted that once again we have negotiated a year-on-year above inflation pay award for our members whist operating in difficult times and still maintaining no significant changes to our terms and conditions.

"Without doubt, this is due to our membership density which currently stands at 90% and I would like to thank our members for their continued support." he added.

He paid tribute to his fellow members of the negotiation team: Dom Wozniak (at London's West India Quay site), Alec Budden (Chelsea) and national official Jim Johnstone for their support.

Cineworld, with nearly 80 multiplexes, is now the second biggest cinema chain in the UK, and has been owned by venture capital group Blackstone since 2004.

A stock-market flotation of the £300m company was pulled last month at the last moment when UK shares took a dive, but financiers expect plans to list Cineworld to resume within weeks.