Betting Shop Workers Union Responds to the News about William Hill Closures in UK

The betting shop workers trade union in the UK has responded to the news report that William Hill is consulting on plans to close 700 betting shops with the loss of up to 4500 jobs.

Tom Blenkinsop, Operations Director at the betting shop workers union, Community, said: “This is devastating news for thousands of betting shop workers. We will be advising our members through the consultation process. William Hill should immediately engage with Community, so that their staff get additional support and advice during the consultation and all measures can be taken to minimise redundancies and find alternatives. The Government also has a role to play and must look at what support they can offer to workers whose jobs are threatened as a consequence of changes to the law around FOBTs.”

“Betting shops provide an important source of local employment and many of our members have served the company loyally for years. Workers don’t deserve to be the victims of the changes happening in the industry as a result of either government policy or the significant shift towards online gambling,” Tom Blenkinsop added.