A café bar and venue located within a much-loved Glasgow arts centre is to close for good ‘with immediate effect' following a long-running staff dispute.
A bitter row over pay and working conditions had led to the temporary closure of Saramago Café & Bar & Terrace Bar at the Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA) on Sauchiehall Street.
It followed claims that workers were sacked for taking part in union-endorsed strike action.
Saramago is run independently from the CCA, which has remained open.
The CCA issued a statement on Friday confirming it arrived at the “difficult decision” to discontinue its relationship with the cafe, bar and venue.
It also noted that the impact the long-running dispute has had on its artists, partners and staff “has become untenable”.
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The full statement read: “CCA has made the difficult decision to discontinue our relationship with business tenant Saramago Café & Bar.
CCA has worked tirelessly over the past five weeks in the hope for productive conversation and a positive outcome that aligns with our organisational priority of fair work. We truly wish the situation could have been resolved differently.
“The impact this situation has had on our artists, programme partners and our own staff has become untenable. It has affected our ability to serve our audiences and fulfil our commitments to our partners. We also acknowledge and appreciate the concern expressed by artists and organisations associated with us.
CCA has made the difficult decision to discontinue our relationship with business tenant Saramago Cafe Bar.
— CCA (@CCA_Glasgow) April 21, 2023
Full statement here: https://t.co/tCs55z7T6L
“This dispute has come at a time of significant pressures for cultural organisations, and at this critical juncture, we are prioritising the health of our arts programme and the wellbeing of our staff to ensure that we can continue to provide meaningful cultural experiences for our communities in the future.
“Saramago will close with immediate effect. We recognise the gravity of this decision, and are committed to acting in the most accountable and considerate way possible. We understand that this decision will affect people's lives and livelihoods, and will ensure that the transition is handled with sensitivity, conducting all necessary due diligence.
We want to acknowledge the contribution that Saramago has made to CCA, and we thank them for the live music, vibrancy and atmosphere they provided to audiences over the years.
“We ask for your patience and understanding as we begin to work towards a future for the space.”
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