Oxford Mail readers have been reacting to the Randolph Hotel’s decision to make the majority of its staff redundant, with many concluding the loyal workforce has been treated unfairly.
Graduate Hotels, owned by Chicago-based (AJ) Capital Partners, bought Macdonald Randolph Hotel in Beaumont Street in December, and indicated there could be a controversial name change as a result.
Last week 75 out of 84 staff were told they were being made redundant, before a six-month programme of refurbishment gets under way on October 17.
The new owners said it had been a “difficult decision” to make the staff redundant in a statement described as “an insult” to staff by regular hotel guest Stuart Jarvis.
Read more: Randolph Hotel owners issue "insulting" statement regarding redundancies
Reader cb1917 told oxfordmail.co.uk: “I would encourage the hotel workers to unionise themselves and organise an occupation of the hotel for as long as it takes for all redundancy notices to be withdrawn. Bosses should not be able to treat workers in such a way. Solidarity, unite and fight!”
Jewal added: “I may pop in there soon as I know quite a lot of staff in the Morse Room. It will be heartbreaking having my final cocktails with people who have given years of loyalty.”
Mr Wasp said the staff should have been retained while the refurbishment was completed.
He said: “This American company didn’t have to sack most of the staff. They could have retained them or offered them first refusal on jobs when they reopened.
“They want an entirely new image and I’m the present climate we should be sympathetic to people losing their jobs when they can be retained.
“Anyway why did the taxpayer pay for the staff to be furloughed when Graduate Hotels were going to sack them all after it. The Inland revenue need to send this company a huge bill.”
Read more: Randolph Hotel to close for six months and make staff redundant
Alasdair de Voil said he was more concerned about the prospects of the staff than the proposed name change.
He said: “I don’t care what the name of the hotel is but I feel for the staff being laid off and the new owners would be absolutely mad to remove the Morse themed bar.
“Loads of folks want to stay there or drink there precisely due to its Morse connections.”
Read again: Randolph Hotel staff won award after fire
In its statement regarding the redundancies, Graduate Hotels said: “As part of these renovations, we have made the difficult decision to make staff redundant as the hotel remains closed for business while extensive interior renovations take place.
“We are grateful to the team that has supported the hotel to date and look forward to welcoming back guests and locals upon our reopening in 2021.”
DockyardDoris said employment law in this country was on the side of the employer not the employee and this was being encouraged by a Tory government.
Read again: See inside other Randolph owners' other Graduate Oxford hotel
She added: “Cineworld workers heard on Sunday that they would be made redundant Thursday by reading The Times newspaper. Graduate hotels, an American company have treated these 75 British employees so badly. Avoid their hotel. There are other places to go.”
Julian LeGood said employees who have lost their jobs were not in a strong position. He added the hotel chain could use an agency to hire young people from Latvia, Estonia, Poland and their knowledge of UK employment law could be “shaky.”
He said: “They’ll be competing with thousands of UK employees who have lost their jobs who are so desperate for a job they’ll work for anybody just to put a crust on the table.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel