Equity seeks union recognition at The Crystal Maze Experience

Equity has today claimed for formal union recognition at one of London’s longest-running immersive shows – The Crystal Maze Experience. Recognition would mean bosses have to negotiate with Equity on key matters, including pay, hours and health and safety – all issues that workers on the production have raised concerns over in recent months with pay slipping below the London Living Wage and safety repairs restricted.

Performers act as ‘Maze Masters’ on the Experience and are integral to the running and experience of the immersive event, which is located in Theatreland’s Shaftesbury Avenue. Based on the Channel 4 show, the Crystal Maze Experience takes teams of up to eight players through four zones, ending in the Crystal Dome. Maze Masters assume the ‘zany’ character of original show host Richard O’Brien, among other personalities, for the hour-long event which advertises adult tickets from £53.

Performers have tried to speak to employer, Little Lion Entertainment, about stagnation of pay and uncertain shift patterns. Pay is now below the £14.80 per hour London Living Wage rate, but the company refused a 62 pence an hour pay rise when asked by its own workers. Performers are now seeking formal union recognition to force bosses to engage, and Equity has also launched a petition in support of the workers.

Equity members have written to Thomas Maguire, CEO of Little Lion Entertainment, asking the company to voluntarily recognise the union for Maze Master workers at the Crystal Maze Experience. This starts a formal process towards forcing statutory recognition, as laid out in legislation, unless the company agrees to voluntarily recognise Equity. Little Lion Entertainment now has 10 days to reply,  by 7 September, to comply with the mandated timeframe. Failure to do so will trigger a formal process under the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (TULCRA).

Nick Keegan, Equity Official for Fringe Theatre, said: "Immersive performers deserve a fair living wage and to be treated with dignity and respect. These are reasonable expectations and reasonable requests to their employer, Little Lion Entertainment. We hope that the company will see sense and respond positively to their own performers' request for union recognition for Equity so that we can engage in constructive dialogue.

"There are many basic issues that these Maze Masters want to work through with their bosses. Working hours, breaks, and shift patterns are wildly inconsistent and fluctuate, meaning performers have little security of what they will be earning and are unable to plan their lives. Their pay has stagnated and slipped below the London Living Wage, while the cost of living continues to disproportionately impact these low paid workers. The budget for vital health and safety repairs is being dangerously restricted, creating dangerous working conditions.

“Little Lion Entertainment can do the right thing and enter into negotiations with Equity, and we look forward to hearing from them in the next ten days. Otherwise, we will use the full force of legislation to force the company to recognise the union and make them accountable.”