Scottish bar group to launch 'full investigation' over misconduct claims

A Scottish bar and restaurant group is to launch an investigation after facing allegations of mistreatment from its employees.

MacMerry 300 and Abandon Ship Bars, which runs 13 venues in Dundee and Glasgow, said it was “committed to carrying out a thorough and independent investigation” into the claims.

Earlier this month trade union Unite compiled a seven-page collective grievance from 71 current and former staff members across the companies’ bars.

It included allegations of a lax attitude to Covid-19 safety, with employees awaiting PCR tests feeling pressured to come into work, and that bosses failed to inform staff who were potential close contacts of other team members testing positive.

It was claimed venues lacked sanitary measures such as hand soap in staff areas and that employees had to find their own PPE due to a lack of masks provided by the company.

Unite also raised issues around pay and staff welfare, alleging that many were not paid on time or at all, had not received sick pay and holiday pay, and people were denied breaks during busy shifts.

Unite said it delivered its evidence during a meeting with directors from MacMerry 300 and Abandon Ship Bars last week.

Bryan Simpson, of Unite Hospitality, said: “During a five-hour collective grievance our leading members from every MacMerry/Abandon Ship venue delivered a scathing array of evidence which confirmed some of the worst mistreatment of workers I’ve ever witnessed in hospitality.

“Directors confirmed that they would be launching a thorough and independent investigation into the serious issues and will be carrying out a full pay and conditions audit within the next week.

“We intend to hold them to all of their commitments and would recommend that directors engage with Unite on a collective basis going forward to ensure that this does not happen again."

MacMerry 300 and Abandon Ship Bars initially described the claims as “bewildering” and said issues had not been raised with senior management before they were released publicly earlier this month.

Following the meeting with Unite, MacMerry 300 and Abandon Ship Bars said in a statement: “The directors of Macmerry300 Ltd and Abandon Ship Bars Ltd met with employees and their union representative... and thank employees for their openness in discussing their concerns. Both companies are committed to carrying out a thorough and independent investigation and to resolving them.”