Staff say pub row reaction

Staff have hit out at MacMerry300 bosses following the response to serious allegations made against the pub company during a protest in Dundee.

Current and former employees attended a protest on Nethergate, organised by Unite, following complaints made against the chain last week.

The company, which owns venues in Dundee and Glasgow, is facing allegations including covering up a Covid-19 outbreak, bullying, pay problems, and failing to investigate sexual misconduct.

More than 50 current or former employees signed a letter addressed to directors of the firm, outlining their complaints.

MacMerry300 runs Bird & Bear, Nola, Draffens, Blue Room, Franks, the King of Islington, and Abandon Ship in Dundee.

MacMerry director Phil Donaldson is said to have contacted staff to ask them not to take part in anything that could impact the business, warning he may have to permanently shut some bars due to loss of trade.

MacMerry300 has rejected all claims and says it is willing to discuss genuine grievances.

Bird & Bear bartender Ewan McCallum, 23, described the company’s reaction over the last week as “childish”.

He said yesterday: “We didn’t expect such a backlash from the company. We thought they might have taken on what we had to say and I understand they’re annoyed about the press coverage, but we had already signed a grievance against them which was laughed off.”

He added: “I want them to treat us like human beings. I want them to pay everyone what they’re due, I want them to investigate the allegations.”

Brittany Varney, a 23-year-old supervisor at Franks, said: “I think they’re saying this protest is a threat against them, it’s not, it’s for hospitality as a whole.

“I don’t think they’ve handled it very well, I’m really angry at them trying to deny everything.”

She added: “There’s a lot of evidence against them and the fact they are just denying everything is infuriating.

“We’re asking for things that should have been fixed months ago and we’re asking for simple legal thing like contracts.

“None of us want to see the company go down, all of us love the company that we work for, we love the people that we work with but if they’re not willing to fix these things then that’s their own fault.”

MacMerry300 bosses are to meet Unite next week after director Mr Donaldson said he is willing to meet staff and union representatives at “any time”.

Draffens employee

Keetah Donstant, 22, said she hopes staff fighting for their rights in Dundee “set an example” for other hospitality workers.

“A lot of us care very much and we love working in these bars, we think they’re wonderful and I guess that makes it more heartbreaking we don’t get treated right,” she said.

“I’m just hoping that we do inspire this to happen because lots of industries have a union and I don’t understand why hospitality should be any different.”

Mr Donaldson said: “There is nothing we would like more than to be able to address the allegations levelled against us and to have the opportunity to take any positive action which may be required.

“We are willing to meet with staff and their union representatives any time, and have been making this point since the allegations were made a week ago.”

He added: “I spoke honestly in saying this last week has been incredibly damaging to trade, following almost two years of disruption for the whole sector as a result of the pandemic.”

Dundee West MP Chris Law tweeted after the protest to say he has written to MacMerry300 and Abandon Ship Ltd to “raise a number of grievances”.

He added it was vital staff can be heard and face no repercussions for raising “very serious allegations”.