Now Wimbledon workers are rioting: Workers complain about low turnout, meaning they’re ‘fired on the spot’ for ‘minor’ problems, like taking breaks to watch the lowest turnout in 15 years
- 153,193 people attended the first four matchdays, the lowest number since 2007
- In light of this, staff would have been told by email that the number could be reduced
- And workers claimed they were fired for drinking and watching tennis in uniform
- In addition to eating strawberries and going to the toilet ‘without asking’, it is said
Staff are being sacked at Wimbledon for minor offences, such as going to watch the tennis on Henman Hill in light of the grand slam turnout, it has been revealed.
A total of 153,193 people attended the first four matchdays, the smallest number of spectators since 2007, when 148,986 people attended the championship.
Attendance figures are much lower than before the pandemic, down 11% from 2019, which employees say has prompted management to “clean up” the workforce.
The Times has claimed that employees, including housekeepers and cleaners, are being fired for going to the toilet ‘without asking’, eating and drinking strawberries while wearing their uniforms.
Empty seats on Center Court during day four of the 2022 Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club
Attendance figures are much less than pre-pandemic, down 11% from 2019, leading to a ‘cutback’ in the workforce. Pictured: The lawn being cleaned at Wimbledon
Pictured: Ground crew pull the rain covers on Court One after rain halted play on day four of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London
The newspaper said in a leaked email that the Wimbledon contractor told workers that spectators have seen ‘less than expected’ that the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club – which hosted the event – have asked them to watch the ‘winding down’ of the workforce.
“It may be necessary to ‘cut’ staff,” the email added.
Staff believe this is behind the dismissal on Wednesday of three communications workers who were seen in their uniforms off duty, drinking alcohol and watching the action on the screen at Henman Hill.
One person is said to have been fired for going to the toilet without asking, while another was ‘fired on the spot’ for sitting down after cleaning the toilets.
It is alleged that in light of the poor grades, Wimbledon workers are being fired on the spot for going to the toilet ‘without asking’, watching tennis and being told not to drink while wearing their uniforms. Pictured: Housekeepers spray the chairs in Center Court with disinfectant at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club
Pictured: A member of the ground crew moves some flowers for the Wimbledon tennis championships in London
“They’re just trying to kill people,” said a housekeeper in her 20s. “Since the email went out, they’ve been really hard on people and haven’t really warned them. They are thrown out for relatively small things.
“It feels like we’re on edge, because when you want to sit down, you look around, hoping no one is looking. If we’ve done our job and there’s nothing to do, we can’t stand on our feet all day.’
Another employee is said to have received a ‘final warning’ from their supervisor after a general manager photographed them watching a game while taking a five-minute break at Henman Hill.
Staff are being fired from Wimbledon for minor offences, such as eating strawberries in light of tennis grand slam turnout, it has been revealed. Pictured: A worker on Thursday is seen updating the order of play
A 19-year-old woman from the housekeeping team also said she was “very delighted” to have been chosen to work at Wimbledon.
But her boyfriend then got an email saying he’s “not getting any more shifts” after eating strawberries on the hill on Wednesday during his break.
She added: “Now we are literally all building it up to do something during our breaks or even sit on the hill after we finish work in case we are told there will be no more shifts for us.” to be.’
An All England Club spokesperson said: ‘We appreciate all the staff who are helping us deliver the Championships, they are crucial to organizing this world class event.
“We meet annually with all our major contractors to agree terms of employment, which are shared with all potential employees.”