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Staff forced to speak english by mcdonalds
A RACE watchdog has launched an investigation after a McDonald's restaurant banned staff speaking any other language but English.
A notice in the staff room at the Orient Food Hall in the Trafford Centre read: "Due to the common language within the store, all staff members must use English at all times."
It said it was head office policy and anyone refusing to comply could be issued with disciplinary warnings.
Employees say they were shocked by the order. They say not all their customers speak English as a first language, and staff would occasionally speak Chinese or Urdu during breaks.
One McDonald's employee said: "Some workers think the notice is intimidating and possibly in breach of employment laws. It's also insulting and should be taken down."
Coun Qassim Afzal, equality spokesman for Liberal Democrats in Manchester, has complained to , the Commission for Racial Equality.
He said: "It is a disgrace for a global organisation such as McDonald's to issue a warning like this.
Diversity
"It is an insult to multi-lingual employees. If a customer visits a huge tourist attraction such as the Trafford Centre and cannot clearly communicate their order in English, surely if the worker is capable of helping that person they should be allowed to do so without the threat of disciplinary action hanging over them.
"Diversity in culture and language should be credit for any organisation and not something taken at face value."
A McDonald's spokeswoman said the notice was written by a manager and was not displayed in other outlets. She said the company would liaise with the manager "to make sure it is done in the right way".
"Although we have over 70,000 UK staff who speak many languages, as a customer-focused business we must ensure consistency in our communications.
"As a result, we simply require staff to speak English when working and specifically when talking to customers. During their break times and when in our crew staff rooms, we of course respect an employee's right to converse in whichever language they choose, provided this does not exclude any fellow employees."
A CRE spokeswoman said: "We have received a complaint and we are looking into it."
A spokesman for the Employment Law Advisory Service in Manchester said: "We think it is potentially discriminatory - only someone of English origin could fully comply.
"If you require them to speak English within the staff room I cannot see the logic. Then to discipline someone for it is dangerous when you take the laws into account."
A notice in the staff room at the Orient Food Hall in the Trafford Centre read: "Due to the common language within the store, all staff members must use English at all times."
It said it was head office policy and anyone refusing to comply could be issued with disciplinary warnings.
Employees say they were shocked by the order. They say not all their customers speak English as a first language, and staff would occasionally speak Chinese or Urdu during breaks.
One McDonald's employee said: "Some workers think the notice is intimidating and possibly in breach of employment laws. It's also insulting and should be taken down."
Coun Qassim Afzal, equality spokesman for Liberal Democrats in Manchester, has complained to , the Commission for Racial Equality.
He said: "It is a disgrace for a global organisation such as McDonald's to issue a warning like this.
Diversity
"It is an insult to multi-lingual employees. If a customer visits a huge tourist attraction such as the Trafford Centre and cannot clearly communicate their order in English, surely if the worker is capable of helping that person they should be allowed to do so without the threat of disciplinary action hanging over them.
"Diversity in culture and language should be credit for any organisation and not something taken at face value."
A McDonald's spokeswoman said the notice was written by a manager and was not displayed in other outlets. She said the company would liaise with the manager "to make sure it is done in the right way".
"Although we have over 70,000 UK staff who speak many languages, as a customer-focused business we must ensure consistency in our communications.
"As a result, we simply require staff to speak English when working and specifically when talking to customers. During their break times and when in our crew staff rooms, we of course respect an employee's right to converse in whichever language they choose, provided this does not exclude any fellow employees."
A CRE spokeswoman said: "We have received a complaint and we are looking into it."
A spokesman for the Employment Law Advisory Service in Manchester said: "We think it is potentially discriminatory - only someone of English origin could fully comply.
"If you require them to speak English within the staff room I cannot see the logic. Then to discipline someone for it is dangerous when you take the laws into account."
I don't know what the scandal is. Of course staff should speak english all of the time. That's the language of England. My school and 6th form had an "english at all times when in a classroom" policy. Mainly because people would not speak in english in order to insult somebody else in the class who couldn't speak their language. The policy worked very well. When a bunch of people segregate themselves off and speak in a language that isn't english it's very obnoxious.
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fishpaste
I don't know what the scandal is. Of course staff should speak english all of the time. That's the language of England. My school and 6th form had an "english at all times when in a classroom" policy. Mainly because people would not speak in english in order to insult somebody else in the class who couldn't speak their language. The policy worked very well. When a bunch of people segregate themselves off and speak in a language that isn't english it's very obnoxious.
I agree that it has the potential to be discriminatory and could easily be construed as such but I think the intention was actually to make the work environment less discriminatory. I've worked at jobs where most of the other workers spoke Spanish so they would circle off and speak Spanish and I felt left out and paranoid that they were talking about me. The work environment would have been much better and teamwork would have been easier and more natural if we all spoke the same language. Considering that they are living in an English speaking country-- that should be the default language. I don't see the problem with it really.
katiesado
I agree that it has the potential to be discriminatory and could easily be construed as such but I think the intention was actually to make the work environment less discriminatory. I've worked at jobs where most of the other workers spoke Spanish so they would circle off and speak Spanish and I felt left out and paranoid that they were talking about me. The work environment would have been much better and teamwork would have been easier and more natural if we all spoke the same language. Considering that they are living in an English speaking country-- that should be the default language. I don't see the problem with it really.
I have exactly the same feelings as you on the subject.
fishpaste
I don't know what the scandal is. Of course staff should speak english all of the time. That's the language of England. My school and 6th form had an "english at all times when in a classroom" policy. Mainly because people would not speak in english in order to insult somebody else in the class who couldn't speak their language. The policy worked very well. When a bunch of people segregate themselves off and speak in a language that isn't english it's very obnoxious.
Presumably when you go abroad you insist on speaking the local language all the time.
I want to add that they must have created that policy because they were having problems with people feeling excluded or communication breakdown hindering productivity. I'm sure they wouldn't arbitrarily force them to speak English as some kind of ethnocentric condescending ploy to humiliate them and take away from their other cultural identity. It's one branch location of a McDonald's. McDonalds the corporation is not forcing all it's workers around the world to become Americanized, English speaking culturless zombies.
fishpaste
Only visiting is fine. Live/work/goto school is not. Why the disparity? The latter I would regard as being part of the british population.
Certainly. The British population has certain rights, including the right to speak in the language of their choice. As you say, speaking English is a requirement to work at macDonalds'. It is not and should not be an obligation ouside work.
katiesado
This is a McDonalds in England I'm presuming? So English would be the local language. Now if it was a McDonald's in China or something I'm sure they would not have the same expectation.
You would expect them to be able to speak the local language. If they speak other languages to help customers it would be an advantage. If they speak other languages with friends when they are not working it is no-one else's business.
Weejimmie
Certainly. The British population has certain rights, including the right to peak in the language of their choice. As you say, speaking English is a requirement to work at macDonalds'. It is not and should not be obligation.
If you work for McDonalds you agree to certain working conditions surely. These might be things like tidy appearance, friendly smile etc. Why should "speak english only" not be another condition? You're right that in everyday life there's nothing to say people shouldn't speak the language of their choice. But at the same time, it's common for employers to ask of certain personal qualities of their employees.
What about in the classroom? Teachers in my schools would get *very* irritated by students who would speak in Urdu. Would you disagree that a teacher has the authority to ask a student to speak in english?
I think the point (or rather one point) in relation to this specific example is as follows:
Urdu-speaking tourist, who cannot speak English very well, goes to McD. and is served by Urdu-speaking employee. However, even though th customer would be much more comfortable communicating his/her order in Urdu to the Urdu-speaking employee, this is technically not possible as the employee has to speak English at all times.
In relation to staff talking amongst themelves, I agree that English should be used whenever possible - if only out of politeness towards English speaking staff present, who otherwise would feel excluded.
Urdu-speaking tourist, who cannot speak English very well, goes to McD. and is served by Urdu-speaking employee. However, even though th customer would be much more comfortable communicating his/her order in Urdu to the Urdu-speaking employee, this is technically not possible as the employee has to speak English at all times.
In relation to staff talking amongst themelves, I agree that English should be used whenever possible - if only out of politeness towards English speaking staff present, who otherwise would feel excluded.
fishpaste
What about in the classroom? Teachers in my schools would get *very* irritated by students who would speak in Urdu. Would you disagree that a teacher has the authority to ask a student to speak in english?
What about in the classroom? Teachers in my schools would get *very* irritated by students who would speak in Urdu. Would you disagree that a teacher has the authority to ask a student to speak in english?
While they are working, they should definitely speak English to each other, but at coffee breaks they should be allowed to speak any language they want. I go to a British school in Spain and everyone HAS to speak English in class but at breaktimes everyone just starts speaking in Spanish. Makes sense, right?
fishpaste
If you work for McDonalds you agree to certain working conditions surely. These might be things like tidy appearance, friendly smile etc. Why should "speak english only" not be another condition?
What about in the classroom? Teachers in my schools would get *very* irritated by students who would speak in Urdu. Would you disagree that a teacher has the authority to ask a student to speak in english?
I agree that it may be a matter of courtesy to other people not to speak in languages they do not know, but that is a different matter.
Weejimmie
You would expect them to be able to speak the local language. If they speak other languages to help customers it would be an advantage. If they speak other languages with friends when they are not working it is no-one else's business.
They aren't telling them they can't speak their own language outside of work. The article said they were regulating english as the language at work, including the staff room. Technically the staff room is still part of the work environment. When you're in the staff room you're still at work. I still think that's fair. If they aren't on the clock then they should be allowed to speak whatever they like.
katiesado
They aren't telling them they can't speak their own language outside of work. The article said they were regulating english as the language at work, including the staff room. Technically the staff room is still part of the work environment. When you're in the staff room you're still at work. I still think that's fair. If they aren't on the clock then they should be allowed to speak whatever they like.
If you are in the staff room you are on a relief- off duty. Are they going to ensure that people in the staff room speak English even if no-one else is there? It strikes me more as damnfool MacDonalds' control freakery than anything else.
fishpaste
I don't know what the scandal is. Of course staff should speak english all of the time. That's the language of England. My school and 6th form had an "english at all times when in a classroom" policy. Mainly because people would not speak in english in order to insult somebody else in the class who couldn't speak their language. The policy worked very well. When a bunch of people segregate themselves off and speak in a language that isn't english it's very obnoxious.
If this is enforced within reason its fair enough - for example in an environment where there are several languages of course english should be spoken at all times, but if a restaurant is staffed purely by those without english as a first language they should at least be allowed to speak in whatever tongue they like in the staff room.
"McDonald's say the sign was written by a junior member of staff and has since been taken down."
To me it sounds like a junior manager getting paranoid and trying to throw his/her weight around. I don't see why the little jobsworth couldn't have put up a sign pointing out politely that where people with a range of languages are in the staff room it would be good manners to speak english but that if there are only 2-3 people in the staff room and they're all urdu speakers then they can speak whatever language they prefer.
To me it sounds like a junior manager getting paranoid and trying to throw his/her weight around. I don't see why the little jobsworth couldn't have put up a sign pointing out politely that where people with a range of languages are in the staff room it would be good manners to speak english but that if there are only 2-3 people in the staff room and they're all urdu speakers then they can speak whatever language they prefer.
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