But I feel that I should 'waste' 10 mins of my time to pen this down.
9 a.m to around 12.a.m., a good 15 full hours of work per day, they say there's a break from 3-5pm, but honestly, there's still so much work to complete before the evening service starts. Many of us couldn't go for the break, and if so, it's for abt less than an hour. That is, you're assumed to have already consumed your evening meal by then. (So, that's one hour less pay). Oh, and if you haven't eaten anything before you started work this morning, I hope you have a strong stomach. Isn't it an irony that one works in the kitchen and doesn't get to eat? Of course, for sure, by the 3rd day, today, we've learnt to steal a piece of bread (from the bread basket offered to the guests, and which didn't get chosen by them), and dab some butter on it. And literally one piece of bread, there isn't that much to go around. On the first day it started, I had a small bowl cereal at 8ish, and next ate at 5.30 p.m. when I could squeeze out 15mins to go eat. Others were not so lucky. On top of the hard physically and mentally demanding work in the kitchen.
To make things worse, I laughed out loud in my head when I heard this, they are going to accept a table of 40 pax, at 11.30p.m. for tomorrow. No, you read me right, supper. At first we thought it was lunch. No. Dinner. Late dinner. Redefines late, huh. (Wonder how late we can wrap up the kitchen to go home! 2a.m? 3 a.m.?) This is on top of the 60 pax reservation for dinner already. So plus lunch, we're gonna do 160 tomorrow. Is that your idea of fine dining? We might as well have a drive through soon.
What are your employees going to do? Besides reaching home maybe at 3a.m. and waking up maybe 7 ish a.m. (even earlier for those staying further away), cos we still have lunch service the next day! No, but in the name of F1 and all this, "oh, it's just for a week" - Personally, I think they're testing the ground to implement lunch service - in the name of God, what are your employees going to do? We're working on a VERY skeleton crew now, just enough to get things running, all of us suffers if one of us takes a MC, and we even have to 'borrow' 2 guys from other kitchen for this 2-3 weeks, and now to add on lunch would kill us. Not kidding. How much are we paid? Sure, those extra hrs are subjected to OT hours, at 1.5 times. But hey, listen... we're all paid around the region of $2k. How much extra is that? Ok, you say, the restaurant makes money, and you'll get a fatter bonus.
If the bonus comes in.
And bonuses are subjected to the company's performance and individual performance. They could say what they want. As for individual performance, take me for e.g., I'm not doing any less work than the rest, I do up my station, meals get served, no calamities, only difference is, these days, I've "Quit" written on my face. Again, they could say what they want. That I'm uncooperative, etc. And if they declare bonus, how many months do you think? We're not in banking, I would already laugh if it was anything more than a month.
On top of wringing every utility out of us, I feel that we're treated as a commodity. I don't feel I matter to the management. We're like just another ingredient to maximise usage. Obviously, our work hours seem to say so, some upper level chefs do not hold you in high esteem, verbally. I'm not far off when I say there's no flow and synergy going on in our kitchen. It's hostile, sterile. The local staff though, on the other hand, have a small camaraderie going on. But, we're all tired. Take this for e.g., and this happened not just once, last order is at 10.30, no other guests, we cleared up, and throw out our stuff of the day, at 11.10p.m. we asked to prepare the amuse bouche quickly, cos' some guests are coming in, and no they can't refuse them, and await new orders.
Why is it that we can't refuse them? Why can't they read last orders are at 10.30? Why can't management put a firm foot down and say "No. You're entering into my 'house', and you can't just walk in and boss your way around us." Why do we have to pander up to them? Why do we have to put on a big smile, yes, Master (rubbing our hands), we're happy to receive you.... we want your money, we want you, Master. Or is it a MB Sand s policy?
So between hard work, long hours, small paycheck, why do some of us stay on? Not many of us would, seriously. Like I said, I've 'Quit' painted on my face these days, not that I'm playing punk, but I want someone to answer me, show me why all this is necessary?
But, I made up my mind, I'm not spending a minute of my life for some contemptuous, racist trouble-finder, prejudiced and ass-lickers of some of us, longer than it is necessary.
Good night.
1 comment:
it sucks! Is it MBS or GS? I can't imagine any fine dining establishment willing to open so late in Paris. Maybe in Vegas. But I suspect that in Europe, it is due to EU Labour laws, which is very strict on maximum working hours per day.
In Singapore, it's a sweatshop, no different from the rest of Asia. You only come under the employment act if you earn 1500 or less, so no recourse. You are just a digit. If you leave, someone else will be eager to take your place. It's just the way it is in Singapore, that's why people come and go so easily. Funny thing is, the other establishments at MBS don't appear to be working their crew so hard. So why is GS so eager to bend over.
You have 2 choices. Quit and go some place else. After all, you're one of the pioneers and deserve a pat on the back for enduring for such a long time. Alternatively, bite the bullet, continue and see how things go. Now that F1 is over, you're back to the previous routine, so things should hopefully get better. And if they do decide to implement lunch, and with only a skeleton crew, then throw in the towel and bid adieu!
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