The Hospitality Worker’s Union is a democratic trade union that seeks to organise all people working in the hospitality industry. Our aim is to fight for better pay and working conditions for all hospitality workers. Our long term aim is to create a better world in which the economy is democratically controlled, environmentally sustainable, and run for the benefit of society as a whole rather than the rich and powerful. The Hospitality Workers’ Union is part of the Solidarity Federation which seeks to organise workers across the whole of the economy. We have listed below the answer to frequently asked question about the Solidarity Federation Hospitality Workers Union (SFHWU). If you require further information please get in touch and we will be glad to answer any queries you may have.

The hospitality sector is the third largest employer in the UK with over 3 million people working in the industry. Yet hospitality workers are some of the country’s lowest paid workers and the industry has one of the highest numbers of people working on zero hours or temporary contracts, with little or no job security.

This will not begin to change until hospitality workers join together to fight for better pay and conditions. As individual workers we have no power and are forced to accept the pay and conditions offered by the employer. By coming together in a trade union we can challenge the power of the employer and force them to improve our pay and conditions.

As a member of the Hospitality Workers’ Union you will never have to face problems with your employers on your own. There will always be people to reach out to who will support you when you encounter problems in the workplace.

The Hospitality Workers’ Union is a grassroots decentralised organisation. Unlike the traditional unions, which are highly centralised, within the Hospitality Workers’ Union power resides within the local branch. It is the branch that decides the activities of the union in the immediate workplace. Actions beyond the immediate workplace are decided at regional and national meetings made up of delegates from the branches.

Nor does the hospitality union employ full-time officials or leaders. All the traditional unions employ an army of paid officials which are largely unaccountable and divorced from the workplace. Instead the Hospitality Workers’ Union elects unpaid lay officials who remain part of the workforce and are therefore fully aware of the problems faced by workers in their workplaces.

Unlike the traditional unions the hospitality union does not seek to build good relations with the employer. As a union we feel that the needs of the employers and the workforce are diametrically opposed. The employer is in business to make as much money as possible, which includes keeping pay as low as possible. The aim of the workforce is to secure as much pay as possible along with the best working conditions possible. In the Hospitality Workers’ Union we see our role as fighting the employers rather than working with them for the supposed good of the company.

The Hospitality Workers’ Union is part of the wider Solidarity Federation. As such you would pay a small monthly sub to the organisation. However, subs are small and much of this money funds the activities of local groups, including the activities of the local Hospitality Workers’ Union branch. More importantly for us than subs, is that members play an active part in the life of the trade union including attending local meetings. The only way a union can remain democratic is through the membership being involved in the life of the union.

It should also be stressed that not being a member does not prevent us from supporting people when they approach us with a problem. The Solidarity Federation has a long tradition of supporting workers who approach us with problems, and we see this as a basic act of solidarity. Rather than insisting that people who may not be in full support of our ideas and methods should join, we would much rather offer our help and support to workers who encounter problems. For us, success is not measured in the size of membership but in successful organisation against employers.

All workers employed in the hospitality industry can join the union. However, we do not allow managers to join, unlike many traditional unions. Ultimately managers are employed by a company to carry out the wishes of the employer in the workplace. They are the employer’s representatives in the workplace, and their role is therefore incompatible with being members of the Hospitality Workers’ Union.

The Hospitality Workers’ Union is part of the Solidarity Federation, which is an anarcho-syndicalist organisation. In order to join the Hospitality Workers’ Union a person has to be in full agreement with our anarcho-syndicalist aims and principles.

As mentioned, managers cannot join the Hospitality Workers’ Union.

Workers with discriminatory views are not welcome in our union. The fight against discrimination in all its forms lies at the very core of our beliefs. People who hold discriminatory views in regards to race, women, people with disabilities, the LGBTQ+ community, and immigrants and asylum seekers cannot join our union.

Members of political parties are not allowed in the Hospitality Workers’ Union.