22% Ritzy pay increase

BECTU members at Brixton's Ritzy Cinema have voted to accept an improved pay offer following two days of industrial action.

89% of members partcipating in a consultative ballot have voted for a wage increase of over 22% by October 2009 for the lowest paid staff, with the first 8.4% increase backdated to 1 October 2006.

BECTU Supervisory Official Willy Donaghy said: "The success of the strike is due to the committment, discipline and organisational skills of the representatives and membership at the Ritzy.

"Their efforts have been recognised within BECTU and the broader trade union movement, and have set an example to trade unionists involved in other industrial disputes."

BECTU members at the cinema took strike action on 26 May and 1 June in protest at Ritzy's initial offer to increase wages from the National Minimum Wage of £5.35 to £5.41 per hour (or £5.50 without a sales bonus).