Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Director Ken Loach refuses Italian award after row over wage and staff cuts

The filmmaker is showing solidarity with workers 'sacked for standing up for their rights'

Nick Clark
Friday 23 November 2012 14:16 GMT
Comments
Ken Loach: “How can I not respond to the call for solidarity from workers sacked for standing up for their rights.”
Ken Loach: “How can I not respond to the call for solidarity from workers sacked for standing up for their rights.” (PA)

Your support helps us to tell the story

This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.

The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.

Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.

Veteran British film director Ken Loach has sparked a war of words with the organisers of an Italian film festival after he turned down an award over wage and staff cuts at the event’s backers.

Mr Loach, whose films are known for their social conscience, had been due to receive the Gran Premio Torino on Sunday but today revealed it would be “weak and hypocritical” to accept after learning the hiring practices at National Museum of Cinema in Turin.

Following his film Bread and Roses, which deals with workers’ rights, he said: “How can I not respond to the call for solidarity from workers sacked for standing up for their rights.”

The museum has outsourced cleaning and security services to a company called Coop Rear. Mr Loach said workers had been dismissed, while there had been allegations of intimidation and harassment. Some workers lost their jobs after opposing a wage cut.

He said the principal organisation “cannot shut its eyes” adding: “I would hope the museum, in this case, would speak to the workers and their unions, would ensure the sacked workers were re-employed and would re-think its policy of outsourcing.

The National Film Museum hit back saying that Mr Loach “has been badly informed and does not reflect in any way the reality.” The festival then cancelled the showing of the director’s latest film The Angel’s Share.

Mr Loach, who won the Palme d’Or at Cannes for The Wind That Shakes the Barley in 2006, said in his statement: “There is a serious problem. It is the issue of outsourcing services provided by the lowest paid workers. The reason this happens is invariably to save money. The contractor who wins the tender will then reduce wages and cut staff. It is a recipe for conflict.”

“It’s not right that the poorest should pay the price for an economic failure which they did not cause,” he added.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in