More Details Emerge of William Hill Staff Walkout

More details have emerged about the problems that William Hill is experiencing in its Tel Aviv office in Israel where the bulk of its online marketing operation is based.

As we reported several days ago, almost 200 of William Hill Online employees in the Tel Aviv office walked out of their offices and headed to a local beach as part of an organized protest of William Hill’s intention to close the Tel Aviv office and move the business to Gibraltar or the UK.

The walkout took place after William Hill has announced to the London Stock Exchange that its Chief Marketing Officer, Eyal Sanoff resigned at the end of September. Following the Tel Aviv walkout, employees in Bulgaria and Manila that are employed by Playtech but provide support to William Hill Online brands have also joined in the protest with some stopping taking calls and others walking out of the offices.

Originally it was thought that the resignation was due to the planned move. However new details have surfaced that claim that the resignation was due to William Hill’s management demanding from Sanoff complete access to the computer systems that manage the online marketing and set out a deadline for him to do so by the 30th of September.

Sanoff refused to grant William Hill bosses access and preferred to quit over the matter. He asked the staff at the Tel Aviv office to quit and come join him in a new company he is planning to open.

William Hill is denying the reason for Sanoff’s resignation or the rumors about shutting down its Tel Aviv operation. Regardless it promised to employees that will return to work an extra salary in November and a severance package of at least 6 paychecks in case the office will be closed.

William Hill’s chief executive Ralph Topping flew into Israel in the hope of calming matters and getting employees back to work. He met with Playtech CEO Mor Weizer on Friday but no details have emerged from the meeting.

Playtech co-owns 29% of William Hill Online (WHO) and William Hill PLC. owns 71% in WHO. William Hill has a call option for buying out Playtech’s share in WHO in 2013 and some say that this is just Playtech’s way of showing its strength in the run up for the call option negotiations.

Mr. Topping's only statement to the press said “If there is one guy who could put an end to this with one phone call it’s Teddy Sagi” who controls 40% of Playtech.

Mr. Sagi was not available to comment but sources close to him deny his involvement in the matter and claim it is an internal WHO issue.