Bullying at work

[PILTDOWN MAN]

My son has recently started a new job (3 weeks) as a kitchen porter in a local hotel in Rye.

He has been subjected to two main incidents of physical abuse, firstly being hit by the head chef around the back of head and secondly last night by another chef who started flicking hot fat from a pan at him.

The head chef was the one who employed him and as such he feels there is no where for him to complain to.

My son is 19 years old so not a minor or by now I would have been up there and knocked the guys head off.

After the first incident the chef said to my son it was only "banter" typical of a busy kitchen. This is complete crap, I've owned four pubs and would never tolerate such abuse. He has also been subjected to verbal abuse.

I'm fully aware of his rights etc and having been a manager of a large organisation and of my own businesses I know that the hotel is on very sticky ground. The real problem is that though he is fulltime as stated he hasn't been there long and he has not been given a contract of employment and is unaware of any trial period. Again I'm aware he is entitled by law to a contract and again the hotel's management are at fault for not supplying this.

Has anyone out there ever been involved in a similar situation? If through me he writes a formal complaint to the owner/management I can see his position becoming untenable and as such he would have to go for constructive dismissal and for all that entails. Obviously the current job situation especially around here would mean he is unlikely to find another job easily.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Notters]

Straight to the hotel manager I'd have thought...

 

[clippedgull]

Any 'friendly' witnesses would help his case greatly.

 

[brunswick]

take it to a court and leave....should get full pay, compensation, and the job should remain open.....

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Straight to the hotel manager I'd have thought...

I agree but he appears to be very unapproachable and hardly ever there.

 

[alan partridge]

Not nice.

No advice to offer I'm afraid, but some nob will be on at some point to say something like 'grow some balls' or some such crap.

 

[sotonseagull]

I assume he's living at home so no bills/responsibility!

not meant to be is it?? Only been there 3 weeks...tell em to f*** off and find a new job!

 

[Kazenga <3]

tell him to MAN UP.

 

[Beach Hut]

I would go to the hotel manager, bullying is inherent at our place where people just bark orders or tell people off by mail - pathetic really but sums up the status of how we work these days.

 

[Joey Deacon's Disco Suit]

I'm not a lawyer at all but I think haste is the key here. Email/phone/write to hotel manager explaining the issues and insist on a meeting within the next few days with whoever is responsible for HR. If nothing is forthcoming then I think resignation is the best option and then sue for constructive dismissal. If you can get the chefs to admit on paper or film or on tape that they partake in this 'banter' then you've got them completely bang to rights.

The intimidatory culture may be commonplace in the hotel but it's also illegal.

 

[Fur Cough]

This is not judging at all, just a question.

Does your boy have a good work ethic?

In my experience alot, not most but alot, of teenagers come across as lazy gits. in a busy kitchen, or any other production enviroment for that matter the last thing people want is someone who gives the impression that anything they are asked to do is a major inconvenience and will lead to abuse by others trying to work.

That said if anyone flicked hot oil at my boy i would be down there like rocket.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

Kitchens can be very harsh places to work, people often get shouted at and bollocked, but flicking hot fat at somebody is nasty! Generally, a cheeky whip with a tea towel Is accepted, but you'd only get away with it once! Hitting someone in the head is also out of line. Unfortunately kp's or 'dish pigs' ,as they are often known, come in for unnecesary aggro because the majority of chefs these days are egotistical pricks. If your lad says anything it'll probably make it worse. Kp jobs are easy enough to find so I suggest he's better off out of there.

 

[Ecosse Exile]

Thats not nice and not an easy situation tbh. If your son is really unhappy it will result in him leaving unless something is done and then they have won.
I would try and make an appointment with the manager, i know you say hes unavailable but when making the appointment just say its a personal matter and if you cant see the manager you will have to involve the police.
Failing that, someone has to have a word with the chef, if you dont feel you can do it, is there anyone you know who can? just to make the chef realise why its nice to be nice.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Generally, a cheeky whip with a tea towel Is accepted

:safeway:

 

[Sergei's Celebration]

The one thing i can guarantee is that he wont be or hasnt been the only one subject to this abuse by the Chefs. Manager has to be the first port of call. If that doesnt work Citizens Advice are excellent. If all else fails leave then report the business to H&S / Enviro Health for the last laugh.

Very difficult situation (and that is why the chef gets away with it, as they think they have him over a barrel) and i hate bullies with a passion. Bullies are weak and need to be shown as such.

Good luck to your son.

 

[Billy the Fish]

It does sound more like the stories I've heard from my mates when they started at building firms. I guess it depends how much he wants to keep his job. This is first day at school stuff, they're testing him to see what he'll take. If he stands up for himself whithout being too whiney it'll probably stop pretty quickly, if not or he whines too much he'll be their bitch. (remember he is the new boy)

Personally I'd deal with it myself before I ran to the manager or wrote a letter, if only for my own self respect.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

he appears to be very unapproachable and hardly ever there.

That's his problem. Your boy's problem is bullying at work. It's only fair to go to the hotel manager to give him a chance to address your son's complaint. But if that looks like a non-starter, keep a diary, try and get some documentary evidence, then use employment laws.

 

[Ding Dong !]

Get your son to curl one out in a customers dinner after plating up so the chef will get the blame and sacked for serving up sh*te food.......literally !!

 

[Blackadder]

After the first incident the chef said to my son it was only "banter" typical of a busy kitchen. This is complete crap, I've owned four pubs and would never tolerate such abuse. He has also been subjected to verbal abuse.

So if your son went back and smashed him over the head with a baseball bat, could he say it was just a bit of "banter".

This is not on. Your son could be seriously hurt one of these days. I agree with other posters that the hotel manager should be your first port of call.

 

[Amahwrang]

Having been in the same position I fully appreciate his dilema, I actually walked off the belt and left whilst working in the Royal Sussex Kitchens becuase of the bullying assitant head chef nothing was done. Unfortunately this type of thing is all too common in kitchens and chefs get away with it because managaers are too afraid of loosing their head chef in the middle of a busy service. he has a number of choices ingore it and carry on, complain and carry on, but probably make situation worse, leave either complaining or not depending how he feels, or and this is not me telling him to grow balls but face up to them, it could end up nasty or it could end up with them respecting him a bit more. This is really difficult but he must do what he feels best as he knows the situation best.