Xjyuk

I work for a large British bank.

As of Monday, staff are no longer allowed to use the cutlery in our canteen unless they are buying food.

The canteen in question is operated by an outside vendor and they like to call it a restaurant.

The powers that be are arguing that if you were eating a picnic you wouldn't walk into a nearby restaurant and demand to use their cutlery, so why would you expect to be able to do that in work?

So my question is, is this normal? I had always presumed an implicit difference in the relationship between staff and a canteen and customers and a restaurant. Am I off the mark here or not? And are there any good clear arguments I can make against their position?

My guess fo what exactly happened: the canteen company complained that they don't get paid to do your dishes and the manager they complained at did not have enough spine to tell them that that is their problem. Either that or your bank signed a contract that did not include this and was just pointed at this clausule.

Is this normal?

Office politics and subcontracting stuctures in big coporations lead to stupid and illogical decrees? You bet your bottom this is normal.

Is it an efficient use of time and is it a good situation? No it is not.

Are there any good clear arguments I can make against their position?

The fact that they call it a restaurant does not make it a restaurant,In most of these cases the subcontractor is hired to facilitate your meals so they should.

The fact that the subcontractor can not turn a profit doing your dishes should not be the problem of you or your company.

Your time as a bank employee is probably more valuable than the time of the dishy who has to wash your used cutlery.

People bringing their own cutlery will lead to dirty stuff cluttering up the place where a central cleaning facility makes sure the procedure for dirty cutlery is clear.

This is really very very specific and different for each and every case.

• I have worked at offices where the canteen not only offered free to use cutlery but also free to use sides (salads, pickles, table salt, sauce, dips etc).




• I have also worked at places where in the food court, even occupying a table without ordering food was not allowed.

It really depends on the agreement between the office and the vendor. In the first scenario, there was a clause in the agreement that only our office staff were allowed to use the canteen facility (though it was located in a common place in the building where public access was allowed) and the food was subsidized by the company. So it was an office-canteen.

On the other hand, the second case, it was a public place and no subsidy was provided. It was more of an independent restaurant outlet.

Both parties (office and food vendor) look for their profit and convenience - if the establishment you mentioned is really a standalone Restaurant / food joint (just located in your office premise) - then usually they (can) have their own rules. Otherwise, if it's something like I mentioned in the first alternative - an office canteen - you should have the facility you're expecting.

To be sure on what you're entitled to - check with the Admin / Facility Management team in your office, they should be able to tell you what's really going on and initiate any actions needed.

Yes this is normal.

It always goes back to the contract.

The vendor has the right to protect their money. If the cutlery is being washed they have a right to limit non-customers from adding to their items being washed. If the cutlery is being thrown out after a single use, they have right to limit non-customers from taking their stock. Unless the contact says otherwise.

You have a choice: bring single use cutlery from home, or bring washable cutlery and clean it each day. I have worked at many places and both have been done by employees. Most employees didn't view it as a hardship. If you bring soup from home, just bring a spoon from home, or better yet buy a box and cutlery and keep them in your desk at work.

It is possible that your employer has been paying for non-customers use of cutlery and no longer want to subsidize it.