Canteen Employees

Ostrom

Hey guys,

Appearantly a number staff from the canteen (the former canteen) have been let go under questionable circumstances. The story (from the older lady that used the sit on the left side till) was that they were informed by mail on christmas eve that there would be no further work available in the new year.

Appearantly they questioned HR on this recently, and were told that if work became available in the new year, they would all be re-starting on entry level pay regardless of the amount of time speant working.

I wont get on a rant here, I notice a few of you posting here are teaching/tutoring so I am sure you are well aware the amount of dodgy business at the admin side of things. I suspect if the S.U. were asked to publicise it, they wouldnt, which is a real shame.

I spent this past semester working in DCU, and their student newspaper puts us to shame to be honest. Nothing escapes their attention, and they (senior admin) are held to account for every questionable decision made.


I'll ask myself in Pugin if I see a familiar face next week, since this is all second hand, but it wouldnt surprise me in the slightest.


Anything we can do beyond posting?

Aldebaran

The reason DCU has such good student publications is probably because of their dedicated Journalism degree. They really do put us to shame though, the chances of a story like the one you describe (if its true) appearing in The Spoke or whatever, are slim. Maybe a Maynooth student publication not affiliated with the SU is the way to go?

Ostrom

My housemate (postgrad of 6 years) was my source. I'll ask about it when I'm back in monday.

Shame about the SU, when I was in WIT, our reps at the time were very active, something like this wouldn't last two days without some sort of attention.

Anyway, might be worth dropping a 'concerned student' email to HR for some clarification.

Norrdeth

The Spoke is genrally poop, the highest brow stories are about how many 1st arts got drunk in the SU at some ex bar ****e, and reviews of how good a particular new pop/indie sensation is. Wont go into a rant about that cantankarous canteen correstpondant, god he really annoys me, and that was only after reading one paragraph. Laaaame!

LeixlipRed

Disgrace if true. Same set of ladies working there since I started in 2002. Very nice people.

JBoyle4eva

If this is true, I will consider asking Henry Durka about this. He seems to know the situation according to the Christmas edition of The Spoke, and he did seem fairly certain of what was happening on the construction, so surely if this is bypassing him or if he does know but hasn't took any action, shows how good our SU is in acting in this situation.

Ostrom

LeixlipRed wrote: »

Disgrace if true. Same set of ladies working there since I started in 2002. Very nice people.

Same here, they knew most of us by name when we would go in

JBoyle4eva, ask about it and let us know. I'm no fan of the SU (people or practice) but I know if this were any other college they would be all over it. I know its difficult with it being exam time and all....

Michellenman

It's a disgrace first of all that it's happening and second of all that they were informed on Christmas eve.

As regards to what we can do, as I was going into exams in the sports halls there were canteen workers there having people sign petitions, I saw people around campus too with clipboards.

Petition doesn't seem like much but I suppose every little helps.

Ostrom

I'm not sure what difference it would make, but anyone else here on the payroll, it might be worth dropping an email to personnel@nuim.ie and asking for some clarification

neil_hosey

im a post grad at maynooth.. and done my undergrad here aswell and i can definately confirm that the admin dont know their arse from their elbow, not only from personal experiences but from friends.

I know its terrible that they lost their job but they wilknl get it back. I would have thought that they would have to pay them until they get the canteen sorted otherwise its unfair dismissal (???) not certain though.

Ostrom

neil_hosey wrote: »

im a post grad at maynooth.. and done my undergrad here aswell and i can definately confirm that the admin dont know their arse from their elbow, not only from personal experiences but from friends.

I know its terrible that they lost their job but they wilknl get it back. I would have thought that they would have to pay them until they get the canteen sorted otherwise its unfair dismissal (???) not certain though.

True, they dont, but they know every trick going to save whatever cash they can. There was probably a similar 'act of god' condition in the working contract.

Hughes at al. are probably delighted though, the canteen has been losing money constantly since it opened. Appearantly the latest plans are to open the space up to franchise foodcourt-style, which would profit long term.

banquo

I agree that the Spoke - and communication from the SU in general - is terrible.

DCU's mag really does put our rag to shame. I know, I did a year there. And it makes me crazy that so much can be just wasted on a self-serving , indulgent waste of time like The Spoke.

Because I don't trust and SU insiders to fix it, I'm running for VP comms and dev. Because boards isn't for electioneering, I won't tell you my name.

I've written regularly for magazines and lashed off the odd article for a regional newspaper. From March last year until Christmas I co-edited a small music magazine, the Midland Music Guide. I know how to run a publication.

The New Spoke, coming '09

All ideas for turning our university magazine into DCU's envy are welcome.

Aldebaran

banquo wrote: »

I agree that the Spoke - and communication from the SU in general - is terrible.

DCU's mag really does put our rag to shame. I know, I did a year there. And it makes me crazy that so much can be just wasted on a self-serving , indulgent waste of time like The Spoke.

Because I don't trust and SU insiders to fix it, I'm running for VP comms and dev. Because boards isn't for electioneering, I won't tell you my name.

I've written regularly for magazines and lashed off the odd article for a regional newspaper. From March last year until Christmas I co-edited a small music magazine, the Midland Music Guide. I know how to run a publication.

The New Spoke, coming '09

All ideas for turning our university magazine into DCU's envy are welcome.

Good for you, banquo. The Spoke is in dire need of a complete overhaul. You could count on my support, if I knew who you are! I'll just have to guess come election day

cython

One thing that seems to be overlooked here is that the canteen staff aren't employed by the college - the running of the canteen and Pugin Hall are contracted out to another company, so this may not have been the university's doing at all.

As for unfair dismissal, it's not. They are being made redundant if anything, as with no canteen there, their job is no longer required/no longer exists. Eventually the canteen will be replaced, but while it is gone, they have very little legal entitlement to be kept on to do a job that isn't currently there. It's unfortunate, but true.

Ostrom

Outside catering is handled by Campbells, the canteen employees in question have been with the University up to 20 years or more. They were not offered anything resembling a formal redundancy package. Seems a little harsh to reject on a technicality; it may be 'legal', but that doesnt make it right.

Its the manner of their handling I'm most concerned about

Rozabeez

Tbh, the spoke is a magazine, we need a newspaper. No point ditching the spoke either, it's an alright read on break with a cuppa

banquo

If I win, The Spoke will return to being a newspaper, with some magazine-like features (as Rosabeez says, something with a cuppa )

Tyler MacDurden

banquo wrote: »

I agree that the Spoke - and communication from the SU in general - is terrible.

DCU's mag really does put our rag to shame. I know, I did a year there. And it makes me crazy that so much can be just wasted on a self-serving , indulgent waste of time like The Spoke.

Because I don't trust and SU insiders to fix it, I'm running for VP comms and dev. Because boards isn't for electioneering, I won't tell you my name.

I've written regularly for magazines and lashed off the odd article for a regional newspaper. From March last year until Christmas I co-edited a small music magazine, the Midland Music Guide. I know how to run a publication.

The New Spoke, coming '09

All ideas for turning our university magazine into DCU's envy are welcome.

Best of luck with that banquo, much needed professional element in prospect at last. I would have liked to contribute to it myself, but I was afraid illiteracy might be contagious.

If it was run properly it could attract a better standard of writers. As it stands, no-one of sense would want to be associated with that drivel.

If I make my triumphant return in September, and the stars have aligned fortuitously for your own campaign, I could be persuaded to do a few articles, for a suitable fee.

banquo

I don't want this article about electing me to fix the spoke, but since it's turning into something..

Tyler, you've hit the nail on the hear. I really really want to turn the Spoke into something that a student can turn to another publication and say - with pride - "I wrote for that". A publication that looks good to have worked with on a CV.

In this and in other ways, it will serve the students more.

On the subject of the canteen employees, you think they'd at least have found them other jobs around campus until the end of the year, just to give them time to find more work. Or a few months salary or something. I'm not an advocate of free money for no work (Ron Paul 2012!) by any means, but reasonable charity is another matter.

IMO.

[Also, if I were running The Spoke, the lack of a formal redundancy package for the canteen employees' length of service would be a full page editorial]

LeixlipRed

Seperate thread mods?

Ostrom

Yeh, kinda beside the point

JBoyle4eva

(Sorry, I know this off the thread topic)

I really do agree with Banquo. The Spoke isn't the most fantastic piece of student journalism, but in my opinion it is still a good mag.....but there really could be a LOT of improvements. An issue like this does affect a lot of staff and students, and particularly when redundancies (wether permanent or temporary) in this amount happen, the SU should cover the issue.

Every part of the college is there for the students, and the student's publication should be informing us of big changes. I would like to see your manifesto Banquo if you do have one, as I think you have probably the best kind of ideas for VP/Comms.

banquo

There's another guy in the running, some SU insider.

I'll post the manifesto here, pending moderator approval (it's only fair).

*Banquo

lordgoat

This thread is all over the place.

On Topic.

That is such a shame about the canteen employees, by the end of my 6/7years in NUIM they were like old friends and whenever i'd be back visiting they would always say hello.
The fact that makes it worse is a proportion of the former employees are in a very hard age bracket to find employment. The canteen was responsible for much more than wages it was a form of security. I'm friends with the daughter of one the ladies let go and she says her mum is devastated.

This whole saga is very saddening and if there is anything we can do to help, we should do it.

For the wannabe politicans, i find it incredibly ironic that the key issue you want to discuss in this thread is the piece of **** magazine and not the topic. But there you go...

PrivateEye

This whole saga is very saddening and if there is anything we can do to help, we should do it.

+1.

think this thread should be fixed up, with posts about The Spoke being deleted or moved to the one thats actually about the college magazine, and not ordinary working people losing their source of income. I mean its great if somebody can edit a "small music magazine", but its not exactly relevant to the issue at hand here. Says a lot.

If anyone has any ideas about anything that could be done around the issue, I'd like to hear them. For a start, is it true the staff are employed by a company outside the Uni?

The guy

I heard there was a petition for the canteen employees being passed around, I didn't know where so I couldn't sign.

PrivateEye wrote: »

+1.

think this thread should be fixed up, with posts about The Spoke being deleted or moved to the one thats actually about the college magazine, and not ordinary working people losing their source of income. I mean its great if somebody can edit a "small music magazine", but its not exactly relevant to the issue at hand here. Says a lot.

+1, thread hijacking for votes is low.

Yeah, I think the posts should be moved.

banquo

Set up a separate thread (hadn't expected The Spoke topic to gain such momentum)

RE the canteen workers, I'd also like to know if they're employed by an outside business. Planning on calling in to the SU tomorrow and asking about it. Anything I learn I'll post up here.

Ostrom

lordgoat wrote: »

This thread is all over the place.

On Topic.

That is such a shame about the canteen employees, by the end of my 6/7years in NUIM they were like old friends and whenever i'd be back visiting they would always say hello.
The fact that makes it worse is a proportion of the former employees are in a very hard age bracket to find employment. The canteen was responsible for much more than wages it was a form of security. I'm friends with the daughter of one the ladies let go and she says her mum is devastated.

This whole saga is very saddening and if there is anything we can do to help, we should do it.

For the wannabe politicans, i find it incredibly ironic that the key issue you want to discuss in this thread is the piece of **** magazine and not the topic. But there you go...

Its why people hate the union....

I'm not sure about the terms of employment, as far as I know the charge of catering changed hands a few times over the past ten years, but they were originally employees of NUIM

Thinking long term, it may be worth developing some sort of debate/opposition around the issues of franchising out the former canteen space? As it was said, its likely they had some legal condition written in for this, and focusing on their future plans might also keep the issue of former workers in the frame?

Any by debate I mean involving some competent party

ioshmearse

Here's the unsigned text sent to all staff by email in response to the petition organised by staff or SIPTU (I dont know which).

Notice to all NUIM staff

S.I.P.T.U. has circulated a petition in support of NUIM Catering Staff.
The preamble to the petition is inaccurate in the following respects:

1) Following the fire in the Student Restaurant Building in November, Catering Staff were placed on short-term layoff. In late December staff were given notification of redundancy as required by law under the Redundancy Payments Acts 1967- 2003.
2) S.I.P.T.U. were informed of the notification on the same day.
3) NUIM Management met S.I.P.T.U. on 6th January and a further meeting has been arranged for 14th January.
4) NUIM regrets having to take this necessary action and will as it always has, engage in discussions with S.I.P.T.U. to secure an agreed outcome.



Some or all the staff from the student canteen were offered hours in Pugin at minimum wage, which I presume is less than their salary on the N Campus.

The canteen was managed by Cambell Catering but the staff in question were employed as temp staff by NUIM. I believe they claimed dole when the canteen was closed for student hols.

Rumours are that the canteen made a 6 figure loss last year.

The Arts faculty sent a communication to university management re treatment of these staff.

So far there doesnt seem to be any moves by the Student Union, IFUT and UNITE representing students and other staff to address the situation. Contact your union

Ostrom

I didnt get anything from either faculty, my department, or college mailing list - where did you get that?

ioshmearse

efla wrote: »

I didnt get anything from either faculty, my department, or college mailing list - where did you get that?

The email was sent to the 'allstaff' list which might be permanent staff only - I dont know.