Workers at Pizza Hut locations across Edinburgh have joined their counterparts throughout Scotland in accusing Glenshire Brands, the franchise owner, of exploiting their rights and undercutting their wages.
The accusations include allegations of wage theft, unlawful practices, and denying workers essential breaks while on shift. Workers from various roles, including delivery drivers, cooks, and cleaners, are organizing a protest outside the Pizza Hut Delivery on Leith Walk in Edinburgh, following the submission of collective grievances to Glenshire.
Unite the Union, which represents the affected employees, has accused Glenshire Brands of waging a “systematic attack” on the pay and conditions of around 200 workers. Tensions escalated on March 10, when Glenshire Brands announced the immediate removal of the long-standing driver commission — a £1.45 payment per delivery that had been in place for over 15 years. Workers claim this commission contributed £70-80 per week to their income, a significant portion of their earnings.
Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite, expressed outrage over the company’s actions, calling them “deplorable and reprehensible.” She further stated, “The company has launched a full-on assault on workers’ pay and conditions, which will have a serious impact on our members’ take-home pay. Unite is fully committed to holding this rogue employer to account.”
The removal of the commission, which was a key feature in job advertisements, was implemented without consultation or prior warning. Unite claims that as a result, workers could see their annual earnings drop by thousands of pounds due to the cumulative effects of other changes. Workers were given an ultimatum: either continue their employment without the commission or transition to self-employed contracts, earning just £30 for an eight-hour shift, plus £3 per delivery. Many drivers, now living “paycheque to paycheque,” say they are forced to use their own vehicles without receiving mileage payments and are burdened with the responsibility of maintenance costs.
In addition to the wage-related concerns, employees at all 23 stores have raised issues with a new leave policy introduced by Glenshire at the beginning of March. The policy requires all leave requests to be submitted four weeks in advance and prevents workers from carrying over unused annual leave beyond March 31, 2025. Workers report being unable to take accrued leave and, in some cases, have not been paid for leave they had already requested. Furthermore, Pizza Hut workers claim they have lost on-shift meal benefits and staff discounts and have even had wages retroactively docked for breaks they did not take.
Bryan Simpson, Unite’s lead organizer for hospitality, condemned Glenshire’s actions, calling them “morally reprehensible and almost certainly illegal.” Simpson accused the company of attempting to undermine workers’ pay and conditions to cut labor costs and shift towards “bogus self-employment.” He added, “Unite will not allow such a dangerous precedent to be set. We will do everything in our power to support our members in fighting back — industrially, legally, and politically.”
In response, a Glenshire spokesperson defended the company’s practices, stating that the changes to the commission model — from a “per delivery” rate to a “per mile” system — were implemented to better reflect fuel expenses and ensure insurance costs were covered. The spokesperson also noted that gross pay rates had been increased by up to £1.20 per hour to align with National Living Wage and Minimum Wage increases. The company further denied any blanket changes to self-employed contracts, claiming no alterations had been made to break policies or annual leave entitlements.
“We received the two collective grievances on March 23 and will investigate them thoroughly in line with our grievance process,” the spokesperson said. “We are committed to robust employment practices, including honoring all annual leave and break entitlements for our almost 800 colleagues.”
Pizza Hut UK, while acknowledging Glenshire’s independent operation, stated that it is taking the allegations seriously. A company spokesperson added, “Pizza Hut is deeply committed to ensuring a safe and fair working environment for all employees. We take these allegations seriously, and Glenshire will be engaging with concerned employees and continuing to investigate the situation.”
The protest is scheduled to take place today, March 25, 2025, at 1 PM outside the Pizza Hut on Leith Walk. Workers are hoping their collective action will bring attention to the alleged violations and prompt necessary changes in their treatment. This dispute shines a light on broader labor issues within the fast-food industry, highlighting the challenges workers face in securing fair wages and proper working conditions.
Related topic:
- Asian Restaurant Brings Malatang Trend to Dallas
- Caprinos Pizza Opens New Branch in Wymondham
- Oakville Pizza Closes After Over Two Decades of Service
