Members of Queen Elizabeth’s staff are planning to strike. If this happens, it will mark the first time in history that a royal strike has occurred. Apparently, the staff has issues with the low pay, which they consider to be below a reasonable ‘living wage’. In addition to that, they’re reportedly not being compensated for the guided tours that they give to paying punters. According to a breaking news report from The Royalist, “For whatever reason people want to go and work for the royal family, and they abuse that goodwill.”
Well, the royal staff has always been notoriously underpaid and overworked, largely because the royal family deems the prestige of working for them as enough payment. But of course, that might have worked in 1955, but this is 2015 and that just ain’t gonna fly anymore. While the castle staff exceeds the legal minimum wage, they reportedly make only $21,000 per year, which is less than a reasonable ‘living’ wage – i.e., not enough money for them to actually live off. Plus, they are then expected to take the extra time and effort to add to their duties [i.e. the guided tours] without any additional pay. Can you blame them for being angry and wanting to strike?
The source [who sounds very much like a disgruntled employee] also adds, “It boils down to the simple issue that they should consider what message it sends to the world that staff who are the public face of the royal family at Windsor are paid such low wages. They would be mad not to give them the extra. We will have to see if they can think hold out, but we’re not asking a king’s ransom.”
So in other words, if the staff doesn’t get the raise they’re asking for – or at least, better treatment – we might be dealing with the first royal strike in the history of the monarchy.
