Polish speaking???

xxlauraxxox

hey guys i work in a shop where there are a few polish people working there and constanly all they do is talk in their own language even when im around i think its very ignortant and ive bought it up wit management but nothing is done about it. it is stated that english should be spoken when on the shop floor in our staff handbook and clocked into work..... is there anything else i can do??? one of the supervisors is polish also and shes also at it i find it very downgrading as i dunno what they are saying and there is only 2more irish girls working there as wel find it rude......customers have even started complaining about it im at my wits end where im gunna snap if i have to listen to it anymore :mad: im not racist or have anything against them either thanks guys xxxx

chalkitdown

I'd start chatting to the other two girls in Irish.

sarahbro

Keep bringing it up to management.
If you and the two others keep complaining, put it in writing, then something will have to be done about it

Mrs OBumble

Learn a bit of Polish. Just enough so you have some idea of the topics they're discussing. Let them know you're learning it, and that you do sometimes understand what they're saying.

promethius42

I've worked in an environment where the other workers were Polish and they kept talking to each other in their language. It was quite alienating and at time I thought I could (tone, body language etc) tell they didn't like me. Though that could be paranoia. It can be difficult but if you go over and make the effort to talk to them it changes.

wmpdd3

Where I work, its English on the shop floor and the stock-room. In the canteen and on breaks anything goes. After 3 1/2 years I have a bit of Polish. Its very easy to pick it up and I am glad I did as I was useless at languages.

The guys I work with really do follow the rules as it is just not allowed by management, whether the manager is Irish or not.

Spunk84

with another person,either speak in irish or pretend to speak another language and smile, whilst making them aware your talking about them by dropping their name once in awhile, or look at them and laugh;) should do the trick!"

Chessala

I just can't understand hoe anyone can have so little respect for their co-workers.

Where I work lots of different nationalities work and while we usually speak in "our" language when it has to do with a direct topic (customer support) or when we're alone, most of the time people are speaking English which each other as it is policy.

I'd find it extremely uncomfortable and would look for another place to work if nothing changes. They just don't have any common courtesy or don't care.

As others said, keep bringing it to the management, put it in writing, especially since customers are complaining as well, make sure to point that out, maybe get a written complaint from a customer as well if they are regulars and willing to help?

mikemac1

Chessala wrote: »

maybe get a written complaint from a customer as well if they are regulars and willing to help?

Good call

Management might ignore you but if a customer complains they'll take it seriously

Chinasea

Perhaps if you tried not to keep telling yourself it is a problem (which it isn't) than it won't be. Perhaps if you tried to make friends with them as opposed to being offended by them then you would find a much better response.

Most importantly has it not dawned on you that they are picking up your 'pissed off bout the too many foreigners working in my country all speaking their funny language vibe' that you are generating.

Ireland has been, and still is such an insular country. If you were to go and live in any other country that has many different immigrants i.e. USA, you would find it part and parcel of multinational living which, astonishingly we the Irish are the Master race at. Yet so many Irish still find it so alien when it lands on our own doorstep – even might I add, as alien as the concept of my response to you which is where the problem is.

mikemac1

Where does the OP complain about too many non nationals or have a vibe?

Every post up to now has been about the workplace and rules and now you're bringing up mass immigration.

Do you see which forum this is?

Chessala

Chinasea wrote: »

Perhaps if you tried not to keep telling yourself it is a problem (which it isn't) than it won't be. Perhaps if you tried to make friends with them as opposed to being offended by them then you would find a much better response.

Most importantly has it not dawned on you that they are picking up your 'pissed off bout the too many foreigners working in my country all speaking their funny language vibe' that you are generating.

Ireland has been, and still is such an insular country. If you were to go and live in any other country that has many different immigrants i.e. USA, you would find it part and parcel of multinational living which, astonishingly we the Irish are the Master race at. Yet so many Irish still find it so alien when it lands on our own doorstep – even might I add, as alien as the concept of my response to you which is where the problem is.

I think you are missing something here. It's not just that they talk in their own language during the coffee break but the do it ON the sales floor, in a working environment. This should not be imo.

I'm a foreigner here and even before I moved I found it rude if ppl ignore others like that. He might have even tried to become friends with them but why would you keep trying to approach people that obviously are keeping you out of their little circle?

No one said that they can't speak their own language but when it comes to work you have to be professional and shouldn't go flooding your colleagues and customers with a language they don't know.

It's just rude and unprofessional.

Chinasea

Yes it might feel unnerving to some not to be able to understand the conversation being conducted in your presence but I VERY MUCH DOUBT if this post would have been made by the OP if the language was 'Irish'.

Posts like this will indeed fuel the racist monster.

Like I said one can:

• a) Choose to take the 'acceptance' road and try and make an effort with your Polish/foreign colleagues.
• b) OR the preferred Irish route which is intolerant to non English speaking immigrants were only so called perfect English can be spoken in and out of work or in their presence.

PS: The classic “ I am not a racist “ comment by the OP is a tad ironic.

xxlauraxxox

Chinasea wrote: »

Yes it might feel unnerving to some not to be able to understand the conversation being conducted in your presence but I VERY MUCH DOUBT if this post would have been made by the OP if the language was 'Irish'.

Posts like this will indeed fuel the racist monster.

Like I said one can:

• a) Choose to take the 'acceptance' road and try and make an effort with your Polish/foreign colleagues.
• b) OR the preferred Irish route which is intolerant to non English speaking immigrants were only so called perfect English can be spoken in and out of work or in their presence.

PS: The classic “ I am not a racist “ comment by the OP is a tad ironic.

well im not been racist as have no problems with the people its the ignorance of them ignoring work rules thats getting to me put yourself im my shoes you have to work with people around you 10hours a day speaking a language u dont understand its just very very rude and where customers are concerned its a lot wrose. thanks guys ill keep on at management write it down and if it doesnt stop ill go to head office about it thanks for all your help

Chinasea

xxlauraxxox wrote: »

well im not been racist

That auld chestnut

Chessala

Chinasea wrote: »

That auld chestnut

I really think to see the OP as being racist here is a bit too much. Just Because she is disturbed by her colleagues speaking polish in a working environment that might lead to her missing important information doesn't make her a racist.

I get annoyed when I am being spoken German to (my mother tongue) when I know there are people around me that don't understand it. It's common courtesy but would you say I am racist because of it? Usually you wouldn't because I understand the language. That doesn't excuse me contributing to making my colleagues uncomfortable.

Also, the issue you might be ignoring here is that customers are complaining as well which is not a good advertisement for the store.

If they aren't comfortable enough with their English to speak it all day, well, then they should use it even more! It won't get better from not using it.

Chinasea

As I said if they were speaking Irish then I very much doubt if the OP would have a problem.

Regarding the customers complaining - I'd say that might be a little exaggerated, and in the cases it represents; it will be made by those of similar ilk to the OP.

Looking at the poor English grammar and spelling by the OP, I think it interesting that they balk at someone not speaking 'English' in their presence.

CatFromHue

Chinasea wrote: »

As I said if they were speaking Irish then I very much doubt if the OP would have a problem.

Regarding the customers complaining - I'd say that might be a little exaggerated, and in the cases it represents; it will be made by those of similar ilk to the OP.

Looking at the poor English grammar and spelling by the OP, I think it interesting that they balk at someone not speaking 'English' in their presence.

It says in the handbook that English should be spoken. Then English should be spoken!

If the Polish workers were breaking other rules would you accept them too?

CamperMan

if they want to talk in their own language, let them.. what harm are they doing?

none that I can see apart from getting the OP upset.

Chessala

If it were their lunch break no one would say anything but this is WORK and not a pub.

They can speak Polish in their freetime.

wolf moon

Anything that bothers you or make you feel uncomfortable should be reported.
It's a different story whether or not the complaint is valid.

Dyr

Chinasea wrote: »

That auld chestnut

We can add it to the other auld chestnuts that you've contributed to this thread then. Deliberate exclusion of someone in the workplace is considered to be one of the forms of bullying. Of course, it's okay if it involves a topic that excites the knee jerk reflex of a liberal.

Put it writing to the management OP, have others do the same, no need to name names but point out breaches of the staff handbook and the bullying aspect. Tell the manager who is acting like this that you have a problem with it and you feel like you're being excluded and bullied, have the others do the same. If that doesn't resolve the issue the next step has to be to report the manager to your HR dept for bullying. If your staff handbook states that english is to be used on the floor then they can't ignore you. Be prepared not to be popular though.

Jim2007

CatFromHue wrote: »

It says in the handbook that English should be spoken. Then English should be spoken!

Yes and that is probably illegal! You can require an employee to have enough of the host language to take instructions and work and respond accordingly... requiring a worker to only speak a particular language at all times during working hours would fall out side the requirements.
!

Mrs OBumble

Jim2007 wrote: »

Yes and that is probably illegal! You can require an employee to have enough of the host language to take instructions and work and respond accordingly... requiring a worker to only speak a particular language at all times during working hours would fall out side the requirements.
!

Jim, can you tell us the particular law involved here, please?

AFAIK, an employer can control pretty much whatever I do during working hours: clothes, behaviours, languages, topics, etc etc. But I could be missing something.

Mrs OBumble

Chinasea wrote: »

As I said if they were speaking Irish then I very much doubt if the OP would have a problem.

The difference being that Irish is an official language in this country, and indigenous here. Polish isn't, so it has less of a place in public life, and there are some circumstances where it's 100% inappropriate.

Spunk84

Completely utterly rude,whether it be any foreign language spoken in front of customers or in the working environment that is not the countries spoken tongue. Again if u say anything about it PC birgade come out of the wood work to say your racist.

Irelandsfinest

First off good for you for highlighting what is a very common problem, i've seen this same behaviour all too often on building sites myself and in shops where i the customer is treated with contempt by these immigrants. I hit them back two ways, i hit them with Irish and with my full on Belfast accent. I know they're talking about me and my workmates when all they have to do is talk with us not about us in our faces. They're ignorant ****ers these Eastern Europeans. They have something to prove and we're the last people anyone should try to prove themselves against.

Chinasea

Irelandsfinest wrote: »

The clues are in the name....

dlofnep

I worked for a large multinational, and worked alongside a range of different nationalities. They all made the effort to speak English when anyone else was around, and obviously spoke their native tongues on their breaks/lunch (which is normal and fine). Likewise, I had two friends in the same company, that I spoke Irish to - but any time a non-Irish speaker was around, we always spoke English out of courtesy. It would be rude if we were to speak Irish when some Polish lad was working alongside us.

This isn't an issue of nationality, or race. It's an issue of convention and common courtesy. Work should be inclusive. What the guys in this store are doing is disrespectful, and displays an unwillingness to integrate into their host nation. I don't think the OP is racist for addressing it, and I think it's unfair to label them as such.

MagicMarker

Chinasea wrote: »

As I said if they were speaking Irish then I very much doubt if the OP would have a problem.

Considering I don't speak Irish then yes, I would have a problem.

In a working environment, it's just basic manners to speak in a language everyone can understand, which is probably the reason it's in the employers handbook.

bushi

Hello,

I agree with OP, while being Polish myself, and working in a multinational with other immigrants ie eastern europeans, poles, ukrainians, but also indians, french etc., I personally find it rude and on the verge of a bullying behavior, to exclude anybody like that. I think it is a matter of basic manners, which in this case your coworkers seem to be lacking, and you should bring it up to your management, definitely. In this case, funny as it might sound, you are the minority on your shift, and you have to be taken care of. It simply should not happened, and maybe they are just careless and a talk to managers will sort that out, or maybe they are having trouble with english - but they should make every effort to change that, and the burden of "political correctness" in this case is on MY PEOPLE, not you - since it is YOU who is being excluded. And indeed, it is unprofessional as well, as mentioned earlier. I do not know the reasons for their behavior, but it doesn't really matter.

Personally, I could not understand nor approve this kind of behavior, I hope they are just unaware of this (I hope so, silly as it sounds), and in any case they are doing a disservice to other Poles here in Ireland, by badmouthing everyone else -as some angered replies in this thread demonstrate.

In my case, when for example in cantine, and not in the presence of other coworkers, we would of course speak polish. But if anyone else enters we would either switch to English, or at least inform him/her that we are discussing current affairs in Poland and apologies for excluding them, and we hope they do not feel offended and if it is OK with them. I think it sends a totally different message, and I know it works, from their reactions.

Have we simply continue to chat in Polish, ignoring anyone else's presence - well, it is exactly that -an ignorant behavior, and I don't think you should tolerate it. What if they were Irish, you wouldn't tolerate it, would you?

Good luck with that, I think it will be best for everyone if you stand up for yourself - and for the basic manners in your workplace. I hope they were just unaware or carried away by the relaxed work atmosphere.

I believe if situations like that were worked through, it would do good for all of us, both immigrants and Irish alike (who, by and large, I find very kind and friendly people, and wouldn't like it if their attitude towards us Poles have changed, because of incidents like this one).

I hope your managers have enough tact and experience to handle this situation and turn it into good.

Regards,