RITZY Cinema workers found themselves threatened with the sack at the weekend after months of negotiations and a hard fought-for agreement for higher wages was finally agreed upon.

Entertainment union Bectu representatives at the south London cinema were left in shock when Ritzy owner Picturehouse Cinemas announced the redundancies as part of new policy of “improvement in the consistency of customer service.”

“We are utterly dismayed and saddened by the brutality which was thrown at us yesterday by Picturehouse Cinemas,” read a statement by the Ritzy Living Wage campaign.