YOUNG cinema workers fighting for a living wage will stage their seventh strike today in unison with the People’s Assembly national demonstration against austerity.

The walkout by staff at the Ritzy cinema in Brixton, south London, comes as their dispute enters its third month.

They have been heavily supported by entertainment workers’ union Bectu.

Ritzy branch secretary Nia Hughes told the Morning Star that workers were continuing their action because owners Picturehouse had pulled out of talks earlier this month.

Workers will take over Brixton’s Windrush Square, with a kids club in the morning, Ritzy musicians playing in the afternoon and many supporting unions and activists giving speeches throughout the day.

Ms Hughes felt that setting up picket lines in the square was inevitable as “it is likely that (management) will be shutting down the cinema, so they won’t have to answer any customer questions.”

And Lambeth College strikers are expected to stop by in the morning enroute to the People’s Assembly march in central London.

In the afternoon TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady is expected to update strikers on the soon-to-be published Living Wage Commission report.

Ritzy workers are fighting for the London living wage, which currently stands at £8.80 an hour.

But Picturehouse has refused, instead trying to force through a 29p top-up, which wouldn’t bring current pay anywhere near the living wage rate.