£20 an Hour? Not Quite.

How Hospitality Employers Are Using Tips to Inflate the Headline Rate of Pay

Something troubling is beginning to appear with increasing regularity in hospitality recruitment.

A chef sees a vacancy advertised at £18, £20 or even £22 per hour.

They apply believing that is the wage being offered for their skills, experience and professional responsibility.

But somewhere further down the recruitment process — or sometimes when the contract arrives — comes an important qualification:

“Including tips.” Or: “Including tronc.”

That changes the picture considerably.

Current hospitality vacancies demonstrate exactly this type of advertising. Some London-area vacancies advertise hourly rates or salary packages explicitly “including tronc”. Others take the much clearer approach of stating the guaranteed basic hourly rate first, followed separately by the anticipated service charge and the resulting expected total earnings.

Unichef believes there is an important difference between those two approaches, and chefs need to understand it.

Your Tip Is Not Your Employer's Wage

The law is actually remarkably clear on one point,Tips do not form part of basic pay.

The Government's statutory Code of Practice defines basic pay as the amount guaranteed to the worker for their contracted hours. It specifically states that tips are not regarded as basic pay even where the worker has a contractual right to receive them, because the amount is not guaranteed.

There is another important distinction.

Tips, gratuities and service charges have not been allowed to count towards National Minimum Wage pay since 1 October 2009. An employer must satisfy their minimum-wage obligation from qualifying wage payments without relying upon customer tips.

For workers aged 21 and over, the National Living Wage has been £12.71 per hour since 1 April 2026.

So consider a chef vacancy promoted as:

£20 per hour — including tips.

If the guaranteed basic wage were £12.71 and the remaining £7.29 were anticipated tronc or service charge, the employer would actually be funding only £12.71 of that headline £20 rate.

The other £7.29 would be coming from customers.

For a chef working 45 hours a week, that would mean £328.05 of the advertised weekly “£20 an hour” package could potentially be coming from customer gratuities rather than the employer's basic wage.

That is a very different employment proposition from:

£20 per hour PLUS tips.

And it is one that applicants deserve to understand before accepting the job.

Is It Legal?

Potentially, yes — if it is transparent..but only just

There is nothing inherently unlawful about advertising expected total earnings which include tronc or service charge, provided the employer is complying with minimum-wage legislation and the worker receives their lawful allocation of tips.

But that does not mean anything goes.

There is a significant difference between advertising:

£13.50 basic + average £6.50 tronc — typical earnings £20 per hour

and simply advertising:

£20 per hour

before revealing later that the figure includes variable customer tips.

The first tells the chef exactly what the employer is guaranteeing.

The second may create a very different expectation about the contractual rate of pay.

Employment contracts are legally binding agreements and can arise through written or verbal agreement. Acas specifically identifies the rate of pay as one of the terms which may be contained within a job offer. An accepted unconditional offer can itself create contractual obligations. Employers cannot simply change agreed contractual terms without agreement merely because a later written contract says something different.

Employers must also provide employees and workers with written particulars setting out their principal employment terms, including remuneration, on or before the first day of employment.

So if somebody applies for a job advertised at £20 an hour, is offered the job at £20 an hour and accepts on that basis, only then to discover that the employer regards perhaps £6 or £7 of that figure as anticipated tips, we would certainly advise that worker not simply to assume the employer's interpretation is legally decisive.

The advert, correspondence, interview discussions, offer letter and contract may all matter.

The Customer Is Becoming the Employer's Wage Subsidy

This is where Unichef's wider concern begins.

A tip traditionally means something very simple.A customer receives good service and voluntarily decides to reward the people who provided it.

It is a reward from the customer to the worker.

It was never intended to become an accounting mechanism through which an employer could advertise a skilled chef at £20 an hour while personally funding little more than statutory minimum wage.

Yet economically that can be the effect.

The chef still sees £20.The employer can still advertise £20.

But a substantial proportion of the apparent wage is being funded by diners through service charge and gratuities.

That matters enormously in a skilled profession.A qualified Chef de Partie, Sous Chef, or Head Chef should be paid by their employer according to their skills, experience, responsibilities, and contributions to the business.

Customer generosity should sit on top of that value, not disguise how little of that value the employer is actually prepared to pay.

We've Been Here Before

Hospitality has a long and uncomfortable history with tipping.

Before October 2009, tips passing through payroll could under certain circumstances count towards minimum-wage calculations. That was eventually stopped. Since then, tips and service charges cannot be used to satisfy the statutory minimum wage.

But another problem remained.

For many years there was no general legal requirement requiring hospitality employers to pass all service charge income to workers. A Government consultation in 2016 expressly acknowledged that employers were not legally required to pass some or all service charge to staff.

That position changed fundamentally on 1 October 2024, when the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023 came into force.

Employers must now pass qualifying tips, gratuities and service charges to workers without employer deductions and allocate them fairly and transparently. Workers can challenge failures through the employment tribunal system.

In other words, one of hospitality's old financial cushions was removed.

The customer's tip now belongs where most customers probably assumed it belonged all along:

with the workforce.

Service Charge Was Once a Very Useful Cushion

There is also an important VAT distinction.

A genuinely optional tip or discretionary service charge is generally outside the scope of VAT. A compulsory service charge forms part of the consideration for the meal and is therefore subject to VAT.

Historically, where service-charge money was retained by the business rather than distributed to workers, it became part of the funds available within the business and could therefore support its wider cash flow and liabilities.

We should be careful not to claim that every restaurant specifically used retained tips to pay its VAT bill without evidence.

But the wider principle is undeniable:

money customers may have believed was rewarding staff could historically be retained by the business.

The 2024 legislation was introduced precisely because Parliament decided that arrangement was no longer acceptable.

And now we appear to be witnessing the next adaptation.

If employers can no longer retain the tips themselves, some appear increasingly willing to incorporate anticipated tips into the headline remuneration package instead.

Different mechanism.

Similar financial attraction.

And Then Hospitality Asks for a VAT Cut

This is where the wider political argument becomes uncomfortable.

Parts of the hospitality industry have repeatedly argued that the sector needs financial assistance, lower taxation and particularly a reduced rate of VAT.

There are many excellent hospitality businesses for whom those arguments deserve serious consideration.

Unichef has no interest in attacking responsible employers.

But there is another side of hospitality which policymakers should not ignore.

If an operator pays a professionally qualified chef close to statutory minimum wage and then relies upon customers' tips to transform that into an apparently respectable £18 or £20 hourly package, should that same operator automatically receive further financial assistance from the taxpayer?

We don't believe that question is unreasonable.

Before demanding that Government reduce the tax burden on hospitality, perhaps the industry should demonstrate how much of any saving would actually reach its workforce.

Because there is little public benefit in reducing VAT simply to increase margins while skilled hospitality workers remain dependent upon customers to turn minimum wages into something resembling professional pay.

Unichef's Position: Show the Real Wage

We are not suggesting that tronc systems should disappear.

Properly operated, they allow customers to reward the entire team responsible for their experience — including chefs who might otherwise rarely receive direct tips.

Nor are we suggesting that every employer advertising an inclusive package is behaving dishonestly.

Our demand is much simpler:

Advertise the guaranteed wage separately from the tips.

If the employer pays £14 an hour and staff typically receive another £5 an hour in tronc, say so.

£14 guaranteed basic pay + approximately £5 tronc.

Do not simply advertise:

£19 per hour ( typical earnings )

A customer tip is not an employer's wage, the Government's own statutory guidance recognises that distinction.

Hospitality recruitment should recognise it too.

A Warning to Chefs

When applying for a hospitality position advertised at an attractive hourly rate or annual salary, ask one very simple question before accepting:

“What is the guaranteed basic salary or hourly rate before tips, service charge and tronc?”

Get the answer in writing.

Keep the original vacancy advertisement.

Keep the job offer.

And compare both with the contract you are subsequently asked to sign.

Because £20 per hour and £20 per hour including customer tips are not the same thing.

Not economically, Not contractually, And certainly not morally

Re-labelling Food: A Habit That Could Cost You Your Career

For generations, chefs have worked under relentless pressure to reduce waste, control costs and keep service moving.In some kitchens, one practice has quietly become normalised..Re-labelling food products or extending shelf-life dates.

Many chefs will admit they have done it.Some have been instructed to do it.Others have inherited a culture where "changing the label" has simply become part of daily kitchen life.

But those days are rapidly coming to an end.

A Wake-Up Call for Every Chef

Unichef has recently represented a Senior Sous Chef with almost ten years' service who was summarily dismissed for gross misconduct following allegations relating to the re-labelling of food products and the extension of shelf-life dates.The case involved far wider issues than re-labelling alone, and each disciplinary case must always be judged on its own individual facts.

However, one message has become abundantly clear.

Employers are now prepared to treat deliberate re-labelling as an issue of dishonesty rather than simply poor food management.

That changes everything.

Why It Matters

A use-by date is not simply an administrative label,It forms part of a food safety control system designed to protect customers.Changing that information without proper authority can expose both customers and businesses to significant risk.

Increasingly, employers are arguing that altering labels is not merely a breach of procedure but amounts to:

• falsification of food safety records;
• breach of trust;
• gross misconduct;
• grounds for summary dismissal.

Whether every case justifies dismissal will always depend on the individual circumstances,B butut the risk to your career has never been greater.

"Everyone Does It"

Perhaps the most common phrase heard during disciplinary investigations is:"Everyone does it."That may or may not be true.

Many experienced chefs will recognise that poor labelling practices have existed within parts of the hospitality industry for many years.

However, what may once have been tolerated as poor practice is now increasingly becoming a disciplinary issue.The fact that something has become commonplace does not make it lawful, safe or defensible

Cost Saving Must Never Override Food Safety

The pressures facing today's kitchens are immense.

Food inflation.

Waste targets.

Labour shortages.

Commercial pressures.

These are realities every chef understand,Bunderstands butut none of those pressures justify compromising food safety.If you believe food has exceeded its authorised shelf life—or if there is any doubt—dispose of it.No service, no GP target and no waste figure is worth risking your livelihood.

What If You Are Asked to Re-label Food?

If you are instructed to alter labels or extend dates contrary to company policy or food safety procedures:

• ask for the instruction to be confirmed;
• raise your concerns professionally;
• follow your company's documented procedures;
• seek advice from your union immediately if you feel pressured.

Remember:

Following an unlawful instruction will not necessarily protect you from disciplinary action later.

A Changing Employment Landscape

One of the most concerning aspects of modern employment is that employers increasingly rely upon food safety breaches as grounds for dismissal.In some cases, dismissal may be entirely justified.

In others, questions may remain about proportionality, consistency or whether additional support could have resolved the problem before employment was terminated.

Every case will turn on its own facts.

What cannot be ignored is that the consequences have become significantly more severe than many chefs appreciate.

Unichef's Advice

If you work in a professional kitchen:

• Never alter use-by dates unless your documented food safety system expressly permits it.
• Never assume that "everyone does it" will protect you.
• Challenge unsafe practices, even if they appear commonplace.
• Keep accurate food safety records.
• If in doubt, throw it out.

Food safety protects customers.

It also protects your career.

Final Thoughts...

The hospitality industry has changed,standards are higher, and enforcement is stricter.Employers are under increasing pressure to demonstrate robust food safety compliance.

The lesson from this recent case is not simply about one chef or one employer,. It is a reminder to every chef that practices once dismissed as "how kitchens work" may now carry consequences that extend far beyond the service itself.

A moment's poor judgement can now cost years of hard work.

Stay professional. Stay compliant. Protect your customers—and protect your career.

VAT Cuts or Real Reform? Unichef's View on Hospitality's Latest Campaign

Recent calls from leading hospitality figures for a reduction in VAT have reignited a long-running debate about the future of our industry.

Many operators argue that rising employment costs, increasing energy prices, inflation, business rates and reduced consumer spending are placing unsustainable pressure on hospitality businesses. Their solution is a reduction in VAT on food and drink sales.

At first glance, the argument appears compelling. Lower VAT should reduce costs and help businesses survive.

However, Unichef believes the issue deserves greater scrutiny.

VAT Is Not a Business Cost

One important fact often overlooked is that VAT is not generally a cost borne by the business itself. Hospitality operators collect VAT from customers and pass it to HMRC after deducting VAT already paid on purchases.

The real question is not whether businesses pay VAT, but who benefits if VAT is reduced.

Would menu prices fall?

Would customers see better value?

Would staff receive higher wages?

Would working conditions improve?

Or would the savings simply be absorbed into business accounts to offset existing financial pressures?

There are no guarantees?

A Subsidy by Another Name?

Hospitality is not the only sector facing challenges.

Across the United Kingdom, families are struggling with rising living costs. Manufacturing, retail, social care, education and countless other industries are facing the same pressures.

A reduction in hospitality VAT would ultimately be funded through reduced government tax receipts. In simple terms, taxpayers would be asked to support one sector of the economy through a special tax concession.

That may be justified in some circumstances, but it is a debate that should be held openly and honestly.

Addressing Symptoms Rather Than Causes

As chefs and hospitality professionals, we see first-hand where money is often lost.

Food waste remains a significant issue throughout the industry.

Poor forecasting, overproduction, excessive menu complexity, inefficient purchasing and high staff turnover all contribute to rising costs.

At the same time, many businesses continue to struggle with outdated equipment, excessive energy consumption and operational inefficiencies.

A VAT reduction does not address any of these problems.

It simply provides temporary financial relief while leaving the underlying challenges unresolved.

Energy Costs Affect Everyone

If government intervention is required, Unichef believes there is a stronger argument for measures that benefit the entire economy.

Reducing energy costs would help restaurants, pubs, hotels, schools, hospitals, care homes, manufacturers and households alike.

Unlike a VAT reduction targeted at one sector, lower energy costs would support businesses and consumers across the board.

Such measures could also encourage investment, improve competitiveness and help reduce inflationary pressures throughout the economy.

The Workforce Must Not Be Forgotten

Any discussion about support for hospitality must include the workforce.

The industry continues to face recruitment and retention challenges. Long hours, workplace stress, heat exposure and wage pressures remain significant concerns.

If public money is used to support hospitality businesses, workers should expect to see tangible benefits in return.

Support should be linked to better employment practices, investment in training, safer working environments and improved career opportunities.

A Balanced Debate

Unichef recognises that many hospitality businesses are facing genuine hardship. We understand the pressures operators are under and acknowledge the challenges created by rising costs.

However, we are not convinced that a blanket reduction in VAT is the solution.

The hospitality industry requires long-term sustainability, not short-term fixes.

Before asking taxpayers to fund another sector-specific concession, we should ask whether we are addressing the real causes of the industry's difficulties.

A successful hospitality sector will not be built solely on tax reductions. It will be built on efficient businesses, skilled staff, responsible management, sensible regulation and investment in the people who make our industry possible.

That is the debate we should be having.

A New Era for Chefs: The Law Has Finally Caught Up

For decades, the hospitality industry has operated in a space where long hours, unpredictable shifts, and limited protections were simply accepted as “part of the job.”

At Unichef, we have never accepted that.

We have spent years challenging those norms — speaking directly to policymakers, engaging with industry leaders, and standing firm in our belief that chefs deserve the same dignity, protection, and fairness as any other profession.

Many of you will remember when we first spoke about the recommendations of Matthew Taylor and his landmark “Good Work Plan.”

At the time, it felt ambitious.
Perhaps even distant.

Today, it is becoming a reality.

From Campaigning… to Law

We are proud to say that many of the protections Unichef has long advocated for are now being written into UK law.

Some changes are already in force.
Others will come into effect over the next 12–24 months.

Together, they represent one of the most significant shifts in employment rights in a generation — and a defining moment for our profession.

1. Sick Pay From Day One (April 2026)

For the first time:

• Statutory Sick Pay will be paid from day one of illness
• The minimum earnings threshold is removed

Why this matters:
Too many chefs have worked through illness because they simply couldn’t afford not to. That culture must now change.

2. Stronger Protection Against Unfair Dismissal (January 2027)

Major reforms include:

• Protection from unfair dismissal after 6 months (down from 2 years)
• Removal of the cap on compensation awards

Why this matters:
This is a seismic shift. It gives chefs real protection far earlier in their employment and meaningful recourse when things go wrong.

3. The Beginning of the End for Zero-Hours Abuse (2027)

Workers will gain:

• The right to guaranteed hours contracts (if they choose)

Why this matters:
For too long, chefs have lived with uncertainty over income and hours. This change introduces stability and choice.

4. Fair Notice of Shifts & Compensation for Changes (2027)

Employers must now:

• Provide reasonable notice of shifts
• Pay compensation if shifts are:
  • Cancelled
  • Cut short
  • Moved at short notice

Why this matters:
This tackles one of the most damaging practices in hospitality — last-minute changes that disrupt lives and finances.

5. Flexible Working Becomes a Real Right (2027)

Employers will now be required to:

• Justify refusals using specific legal grounds
• Clearly explain why the refusal is reasonable

Why this matters:
Flexible working will no longer be dismissed casually — it must be properly considered and justified.

6. Stronger Protections Against Harassment (2026–2027)

The law will clarify what “reasonable steps” employers must take to prevent harassment.

Why this matters:
Kitchen culture must evolve. Respect, safety, and professionalism are no longer optional — they are legal expectations.

7. A New Era for Trade Union Rights (October 2026)

New rights will include:

• Employers must inform workers of their right to join a union
• Improved union access to workplaces
• Rights to facilities and time off for union representatives
• Support for union equality roles

Why this matters:
This is transformational. It recognises the critical role unions play in protecting workers and raising standards across the industry.

This Didn’t Happen by Accident

These changes are not simply political decisions.

They are the result of years of pressure, evidence, and advocacy — from organisations like Unichef and from chefs like you who have shared your experiences and stood up for change.

We have:

• Challenged poor working practices
• Represented chefs in difficult cases
• Influenced conversations at the highest levels
• Refused to accept that “this is just how hospitality is”

What Happens Next

This is not the end — it is the beginning.

The law can change overnight.
Culture takes longer.

And that is where Unichef remains essential.

We will continue to:

• Support members through these new rights
• Hold employers accountable
• Educate chefs on what these changes mean in practice
• Push for even greater protections where needed

A Message to Every Chef

This moment matters.

For the first time in a long time, the system is beginning to recognise what we have always known:

Chefs are not expendable.
Chefs are professionals.
Chefs deserve protection, respect, and a fair working life.

And now — the law is finally starting to reflect that.

UK Hospitality on the Brink: Rising Costs, Failing Giants, and a Sector at a Turning Point

A Perfect Storm Facing UK Hospitality

The UK hospitality sector is approaching a critical inflection point.

Recent industry data indicates that one in five hospitality businesses fears collapse within the next 12 months, with many already operating on razor-thin or negative margins. At the same time, two-thirds of operators are planning job cuts, and one in seven expects to close.

This is no longer a cyclical downturn—it is a structural crisis.

Behind these figures lies a convergence of pressures:

• Rising labour costs
• Increased employer National Insurance contributions
• Escalating business rates
• Energy volatility
• Reduced consumer spending

Yet while these pressures are real, the narrative emerging from parts of the industry—particularly around wages—requires careful scrutiny.

When Even the Giants Struggle

Heston Blumenthal: Fine Dining Under Pressure

 

 

The planned closure of Dinner by Heston Blumenthal marks a symbolic moment for the industry.

Despite global recognition and critical acclaim, reports indicate:

• Sustained financial losses
• Declining commercial viability
• Strategic retrenchment rather than expansion

This is not an isolated case—it reflects a broader shift in the economics of premium dining, where high labour intensity meets cost inflation and changing consumer habits.

Gordon Ramsay Group: Growth at a Cost

 

4

The challenges are equally visible within the Gordon Ramsay Restaurants group:

• Reported losses of approximately £13 million
• Around 200 jobs were cut
• Rising operating costs despite strong revenues

Even at scale—with global branding and diversified income streams—the UK restaurant model is under significant strain.

Unichef Position: Wages Are Not the Problem — They Are the Correction

At the centre of the current debate is a familiar argument:
that rising wages are pushing businesses to the brink.

Unichef fundamentally rejects this position.

Wages are not the cause of this crisis. They are the long-overdue correction of it.

For decades, hospitality has operated on a model characterised by:

• Below-market pay for highly skilled labour
• Long hours normalised as industry culture
• Profitability underpinned by labour suppression

This is not conjecture—it is supported by long-standing labour market evidence.

Economic Reality: A Historically Low-Paid Sector

According to the Office for National Statistics:

• Hospitality has consistently ranked among the lowest-paid sectors in the UK economy
• Median hourly pay in accommodation and food services has historically lagged behind national averages

Similarly, the Resolution Foundation has repeatedly highlighted:

• The sector’s reliance on low-wage labour models
• High levels of in-work poverty among hospitality workers

This is reinforced by findings from the Low Pay Commission, which oversees minimum wage policy and has noted:

• Hospitality as one of the sectors most affected by minimum wage increases due to historic underpayment

The Scapegoating of Wages Must End

To suggest that fair pay is now the cause of collapse is to ignore a more uncomfortable truth:

👉 The business model itself is under strain.

Economic theory supports this.

The concept of a “low-road labour model”—widely discussed in labour economics—describes industries that compete primarily through cost suppression rather than productivity or innovation.

Hospitality in the UK has, in many cases, followed this path.

Now, as wages rise:

• Margins are exposed
• Inefficiencies are revealed
• Unsustainable expansion models begin to fail

This is not a wage crisis.

It is a model correction.

Customers Have Always Paid — The Hidden Subsidy Ends

There is another economic reality often overlooked:

Consumers always bear the true cost of production.

Historically, hospitality has artificially suppressed visible prices by:

• Embedding costs into labour exploitation
• Increasing workload rather than staffing levels
• Relying on unpaid or underpaid time

As labour costs normalise, pricing must follow.

This aligns with basic economic principles of:

• Cost pass-through
• Market price correction

What is happening now is not distortion—it is realignment.

The Failure of Overexpansion and Chain Growth

The current crisis is also exposing the fragility of rapid expansion strategies.

Many operators pursued:

• Multi-site scaling
• High fixed overheads
• Centralised cost structures

In favourable conditions, this delivered growth.

Under pressure, it creates vulnerability.

This reflects classic economic risk models, where:

• High fixed-cost businesses are less resilient to demand shocks
• Labour-intensive sectors are more exposed to wage correction cycles

The result is what we are now seeing:

👉 Retrenchment, closures, and restructuring

A Sector at a Crossroads

The question facing hospitality is no longer whether conditions are difficult.

It is whether the industry is willing to adapt.

What Evolution Looks Like

A sustainable future requires:

• Honest pricing that reflects real costs
• Reduced reliance on excessive working hours
• Investment in staff retention and skills
• Smaller, more resilient operating models
• A shift from scale to quality and sustainability

This is not idealism—it is economic necessity.

A Line in the Sand

Unichef’s position is clear:

We will not support any narrative that:

• Blames workers for structural failure
• Frames fair pay as a burden
• Seeks a return to exploitative labour practices

Instead, we advocate for:

• A professionalised workforce
• A sustainable business model
• An industry built on fairness, not fragility

Conclusion: The Real Question

If businesses are struggling now that wages are rising, the question is not:

“Why are wages too high?”

The real question is:

“Why were they ever so low?”

When Unichef was first set up our aim was to ensure a different type of Union to that of any other. This also applies to our rules on transparency and how the National Chefs Union is ran and organised.

Although the day to day operations are conducted by the Executive He/she is held accountable by independently appointed Directors who oversee the work, accounts and well management of the Union.

Full members have the right to challenge and question the way Unichef conducts the Union and have the right to complain through the directors, who are the eyes and ears of our members and are there to see that members rights are upheld and complaints dealt swiftly and fairly.

Whilst the Union continues to grow and flourish, how we attend to the issues of accountability and transparency will become more important and the Union must and always be seen to be accountable to its members in every respect.

Sections within our written constitution (Official Union Rules) provide ample reassurance of that accountability whilst maintaining the balance of security from those wishing to infringe on that constitution.

In all, members can be assured that their rights to accountability and quality of governance is set within the constitution and that the Union will continue to remain accountable and transparent at all times.

A revolution in working practise is about to impact on our industry and change the way employers engage with their workforce is about to happen, starting in April 2020.

In 2018 the Government commissioned an independent report by Mathew Taylor on how to modernise and inspire the British workforce and its findings and recommendations have sent shock-waves through the Catering Industry.

The principals are to create a British workforce fit for the 21^st Century, a workforce that is inspired  to do better and to produce more through Employer engagement, improved working conditions and care in the workplace as well as improved regulation and a new Regularly body to police these laws.

Each Industry has its own unique issues and the Catering Sector is no different.

Chefs have suffered for many years from inequality and discrimination, especially in multi departmental establishments, such as Hotels where, clerical staff, reception and HR are all treated differently in terms of facilities and contracts. This will all soon come to an end.

Almost all of Mathew Taylor's recommendations have been accepted by the Government and the departments responsible are busy drafting the necessary legislation which is likely to come on stream bit by bit until the full report is enshrined in Law.

These include ...

Work Committees

The right to have “workers committees” which will apply to businesses of 15 employees or more or 2% of the workforce.

The Committee's will be encouraged to engage with their employer in ways never seen before.

The committees will work with their employer who MUST engage in discussions and set up regular meetings to discuss all aspects that involve the workforce. Employers will be encouraged to seek ideas and put forward proposals to inspire and reward their workforce as part of the Government’s Good Work Plan. The Employer must encourage and act upon agreed grievances and consultations.

Zero Hours.

Those on Zero Hour Contracts, have at last been recognised. Whilst Zero hours has been useful to some, to many it is a huge lack of insecurity and the report recognises this.

The discrimination of Zero Hours will end. Those on ZH for more than a year must be offered a permanent contract and those working add hock hours will be allowed to ask for a “minimum” working schedule.

Zero Hours will come under the new heading of “one sided flexibility” where contracts that favour the Employer will be seen as discriminatory.

So too will the abhorrent practice of prematurely ending of agreed shifts. Shifts that are cut in the middle of a working day when business is low, and workers are sent home without notice. This practise will cease, and business’s will be required to Re-work their business model in order to accommodate this.

Split Shifts ( one sided flexible working )

Unique to the Hospitality Industry, Split shifts have long been used primarily for the benefit of the Employer. This totally unnecessary and abhorrent practice will also cease in places where the business operates normal straight shift patterns within its Company. Offering split shifts to Chefs and waiters whilst administrative and managerial staff are offered straight shifts will be discriminatory.

Designated Policing

The Government have also accepted the need for a designated Ombudsman solely to deal with issues arising from this legislation including hotlines for complaints.

Conclusion

In all, the most radical and positive work-related proposals in a generation. A chance to end the abuse and discrimination seen daily in kitchens every day and an exciting way forward for new chefs coming into the profession.

From time to time, we all experience an issue at work, sometimes its small and sometimes it’s beyond our scope and we need advice on moving forward.

Unichef is here to help in any way we can but often its best to do a bit of homework first before you contact us so that you save us time in explaining things in detail.

There are many links on our homepage that can give you very accurate help and advice before you feel the need to contact your Union.

Since the pandemic, Unichef still runs on a small team of support staff and it helps us enormously if we are not on telephone calls all day, therefor SMS is a huge part of our routine and helps us get to issues much more quickly.

If you are emailing us, that’s fine but please DO NOT send us documentation or try to explain what your issues is. It is much better and quicker if you let us ask the precise questions so that we can filter your grievance accordingly and escalate it quickly if necessary. 99% of all messages are answered within 24 hours, often quicker if your a member.

Most queries that we get can be sorted easily and quickly and having such a filter system means that we can spend more time on more serious matters. 

You will always find us willing, friendly and supportive but please remember, we are also chefs and we call it the way it is, we have mountains of experience and if you’re in the wrong we will let you know, (as gently as we can).

Here is a simple guide to help you.

Firstly,visit the links and helplines below,they are often a great source of information which will help you decide how you deal with your issue.

Next,contact us using the buttons at the bottom of this and every webpage.Please DO NOT send us any documentation at this stage,when we need it we will ask for it.

Next,in the contact box tell us very simply what you issue is IE " I have been dismissed "I have been bullied "etc.

Once we have your contact we will acknowledge your issue and make arrangements with you to discuss things in more detail.This will be through SMS or email only at this stage.

Advice Lines
https://www.acas.org.uk/advice

https://landaulaw.co.uk/

https://www.advicenow.org.uk/