April 14 – Following a fierce backlash from fans, English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur have reversed their decision to use the British government’s furlough scheme during the coronavirus crisis.
The club had imposed a 20% reduction in salary for all 550 non-playing staff, with around 40% furloughed using the government’s coronavirus job retention scheme. But the club have now announced that they intend to pay wages in full throughout April and May.
Spurs are the second club to perform a U-turn on their plan to use government funding, Liverpool having done the same little more than a week ago. The change of heart does not include the Tottenham board of directors, who will continue to take a 20% pay cut through to the end of May.
Announcing the rethink, chairman Daniel Levy, who bore the brunt of the fans’ fury, said: “We are acutely aware that many supporters were against the decision we made regarding furloughing staff who could not carry out their jobs from home – due to the nature of their work – and our intention to apply, if applicable, for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, a scheme designed to ensure that jobs and employment rights are protected.
“The criticism the club has received over the last week has been felt all the more keenly because of our track record of good works and our huge sense of responsibility to care for those that rely on us, particularly locally.”
“It was never our intent, as custodians, to do anything other than put measures in place to protect jobs whilst the Club sought to continue to operate in a self-sufficient manner during uncertain times.
“We regret any concern caused during an anxious time and hope the work our supporters will see us doing in the coming weeks, as our stadium takes on a whole new purpose, will make them proud of their club.”
On the plus side, the club’s state-of-the-art stadium has become a Covid-19 testing centre, the first in the country to offer its services in this way.
“Equipment has now been installed in our stadium to operate drive-through COVID-19 testing and swabbing for NHS staff, families and their dependents. Our Tottenham Hotspur Stadium becomes the first Premier League ground to be used for testing, following on from other sporting venues around the world,” the statement added.
The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Club (THST) which had urged the club pt “do the right thing” and reverse the furlough decision, thanked directors “for finding an alternative way forward”.
“This is the first step, but a big step, in restoring relations between fans and the club,” the group said.
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