Unite union is set to protest Whitbread PLC's (LSE:WTB) proposed 1,500 job cuts today at its annual general meeting, claiming the hospitality firm has refused to consult them or answer basic questions about possible redundancies.
"Rarely is a company so shameless as to celebrate leaping profits and dividends by announcing mass job cuts. But generating runaway profits while trampling workers is business as usual for Whitbread," said Sharon Graham, general secretary at Unite.
"This is a firm that refuses to pay the real living wage and does not even provide company sick pay for its underpaid and overworked staff."
One anonymous employee added: "We are still only being drip-fed information with little to no time to process or evaluate options.
“I feel I can speak for quite a few people when I say we’re all scared of what is coming."
Premier Inn owner Whitbread saw its shares rise more than 2.5% today after it reiterated its guidance and said its German business was close to breaking even.
Back in April, the hotel group said as part of an ongoing cost-cutting scheme 200 restaurants would be closing with 1,500 workers being cut.