Letters

companies acting within the law

I FEEL compelled to write after reading your article "Deep Pan staff asked to work longer hours" (Caterer 7 July, page 5), and David Potts's letter in response (Caterer 15 July, page 21).

The slant of the article is that the company is trying to exploit its staff. However, the employees are clearly not being asked to work longer hours than they have been regularly working in the past.

It is apparent that managers who are working more than 48 hours a week on average have been made aware of the regulations and the right to reduce their hours if they wish.

Understandably, the company reserves the right to adjust their salary pro rata if they make this choice.

Take the example of recruiting a chef to work a seven-shift week, totalling an average of 56 hours.

The chef is recruited on a specific salary for these seven shifts and therefore has an implied shift rate of pay. If they decide now to work six shifts (48 hours), it seems equitable to pay them for six shifts.

Francesca Hazard

Human Resources Consultant,

London SW18.

how to shake off industry apathy

MR ORMS Brookfield of Yale College, Wrexham, wrote the letter "A vibrant industry needs to shake off apathy" (Caterer 27 May, page 16), following the almost non-existent response from industry to open days. I may have a remedy.

Our local college is Worcester which, several years ago, set up an industry liaison committee to forge stronger links with local caterers of all types. One of the many initiatives is an annual Careers Day in which hotels, conference centres, contract caterers, suppliers and so on are invited to participate. Students can thus interface with potential employers and start to sort out which form of catering is for them.

In addition we have guest chef evenings, industry figures talking to students in college, student visits to various catering establishments, meetings with careers advisers and an annual "thank you to industry" prize-giving evening which always draws an attendance of more than 120.

If you haven't such a committee, it may be a good way to shake off that apathy!

John Pattin

The Cottage in the Wood hotel and restaurant,

Malvern Wells,

Worcestershire.

a triumph for Ethnic cuisine

HAVING recently attended the launch of the Bangladesh Festival at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office on 7 July, which was attended by Prime Minister Tony Blair and the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina, I felt that the event marked a great success for both the community and the ethnic catering subsector.

There were a lot of well-known Asian restaurateurs and representatives from the community at the event, and it was really good to see that, at long last, the achievement of the Ethnic community is being rewarded and recognised globally. One thing we must remember is that ethnic and Asian cuisine will continue growing as we go into the next millennium.

Manish Sood

Notting Hill Gate,

London.

grab graduates for just the job

I NOTED with interest a recent letter in The Times referring to the fact that graduates of today seem all too ready to abandon both high salaries and fast-track careers if the working conditions do not suit them or match their expectations.

As an industry, hospitality has traditionally been slow at self-promotion. Now, as we look forward to the millennium, greater efforts must be made to highlight to the youth of today that the hospitality industry, so often overlooked, offers graduates excellent career opportunities in a challenging, fast-moving and people-orientated environment.

Also, in the light of the amazing growth being experienced within the sector, graduates are being courted with both well-structured career plans and fast-track routes to senior management.

Roddy Watt

Chief Executive

The Berkeley Scott Group,

Godalming,

Surrey.

home truths from an old hand

having attended catering college in 1957-60, I look back now and wonder if present-day students are taught the "facts of life" of this industry. I would like to offer the following.

They should watch their hours worked, to avoid being paid pro-rata less than the kitchen porter, or less than the minimum wage. If they work 60-plus hours per week, they'll have done 45 years-worth of work in 30 years.

Perhaps employers are aware of this, which is why workers may be on the scrap heap at 50, victims of ageism.

To avoid this, become a college lecturer or teacher, or own one's own business.

Do not waste money on HCIMA membership, unless one is of a sociable bent. The same amount could buy a nice life insurance plan.

Plan for a long retirement; any property purchased should be paid off by the age of 45.

It is a better long-term economic aim to start work at 16 with a good, training-orientated company. Be aware that some companies, particularly branded ones, have their own in-house training which is totally unrelated to the outside world; it does not recognise City & Guilds, HCIMA or even GCSEs; and its training stages are useless in any other organisation.

Obtain "references" of potential employers; it is important to make enquiries about people or organisations as employers.

Finally, look out for the daughter or son of successful business people as a potential "partner" - thus solving most of life's pitfalls at one go!

Jeremy Ryall

Liskeard,

Cornwall.