Game of Thrones producers shell out £10 million per episode, but some of its workers are on poverty pay.
Security officers on the set of hit TV show Game of Thrones are currently involved in a heated pay dispute after “measly” pay rise 8p an hour.
Workers for the security giant G4S saw their pension contributions rise this year by 1%. Hourly rates for security officers have since gone from 55p above the minimum wage, to just 30p over.
But when a pay rise was asked from the the employer – the Northern Irish Game of Thrones production company – the offer couldn’t even offset the cost.
The affected security personnel, represented by the GMB union, are now rejecting the offer and demanding a meaningful raise in pay.
GMB union organiser, Michael Mulholland, said:
“It’s an insult. Game Of Thrones is the highest grossing TV series in the world and they are paying nothing more than poverty wages.
“If they can afford spend £1 million on a purpose built castle for series eight, they can afford to give our members a proper pay rise.”
Mulholland could not escape riffing off one of the show’s most famous lines, adding:
“If they think this offer is acceptable – they know nothing.”
The national minimum wage is currently £7.83 an hour.
G4S is yet to contact GMB on the pay rise dispute. The union has not been involved in any form of negotiation yet either.
Joana Ramiro is a reporter for Left Foot Forward. You can follow her on Twitter for all sorts of rants here.
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