UCD Restaurant

badtinegirl

While having lunch in the restaurant in UCD I read a number of notices the staff had put up. They outline how the restaurant had been allowed to run down and that UCD management now wanted to franchise it. The strange thing is that UCD wanted the staff to work for the new operators.

While most if not all of the staff are public sector workers I don’t understand how this will work under the Croke park agreement? Can these jobs be given over to the private sector? And why if the staff who have worked up almost 400 years service between them should accept this.

I know that staff in south Dublin who worked on the bins for example where deployed to other departments with in the council , they did not go to work for Greyhound Waste.

I hope this wont turn into a public v private sector storm. It just seems strange to expect the staff to walk away from UCD.

Sala

They can't expect that. Most are on permanent public sector contracts. I'm not sure how it will work out but the older staff think I retirement deal might be offered

Eoin

thread moved from work problems

finisklin

By allowing it to run down, they are letting the business deteriorate which may mean that it is economically, financially unviable. In such a situation, this may increase their bargaining power with employees to transfer it to a franchise i.e. a more profitable enterprise.

sarkozy

UCD has been going like this for a few years. I think it's a disgrace, and I would say there's a legitimate labour grievance over this. And this won't just affect the canteen staff. Meals for students have been subsidised in that place and many students (e.g. those on grants) rely on those lower prices.

Delancey

There is not a private sector work canteen in the country that is not run by an outside operator who employ their own staff and run the canteen on behalf of the sponsoring company.
Why should the Public Sector be any different

badtinegirl

My question is not about the canteen being out sourced, its that the staff who are public sector employees being transfered to a private sector company. I have never heard of that before.

Could this be done with nurses for example? the HSE already hire staff from the private sector they do not pass the existing staff with there pay and conditions on to the private company.

I dont know what symbol means sorry.

meemeep

"The restaurant was allowed to run down"..

When did it ever "Run Up"? It was always crap and half the staff treat you like they are dirt on their shoes, not customers. My humble opinion of course.

Delancey

meemeep wrote: »

"The restaurant was allowed to run down"..

When did it ever "Run Up"? It was always crap and half the staff treat you like they are dirt on their shoes, not customers. My humble opinion of course.

Have to agree with you , ate there 2 or 3 times - food was dire and staff seemed to view customers as an inconvenience.

badtinegirl

I have not been in UCD a long time but I never had any issues with the staff or food. Im not looking for a review of the food but the issue with the treatment of the staff and how it will work within the croke park agreement, If you read the notices around the canteen and believe them which I do, its no surprise that the staff are p*ssed off. The girls on the tills and the guys that clean up etc do not decide whats on the menus and the quality of the produce supplied to the cooking staff. I assume that is done by the management who wont be affected by the proposed changes.

The new operator is going to have a fight on its hand if the staff are forced to move. Ill keep out of it then. Sneezers all round.

later12

The OP has a legitimate question, to which the quality of the food and the quality of the service in the canteen are totally irrelevant.

I would have assumed that the UCD canteen was already being contracted by a private business, similar to the arts cafe, or the old shop in Earlsfort Terrace, or the Veterinary canteen, and that its prices were subsidised by the university.

If that is not the case, and the employees have a permanent contract with the university directly, then that is a problem for UCD, it would appear. I'm not sure how it ought to be resolved. With great difficulty, perhaps.

Dannyg90

sarkozy wrote: »

. Meals for students have been subsidised in that place and many students (e.g. those on grants) rely on those lower prices.

dunno how they're supposed to be low prices, cost me over 9euro for sausage beans and chips with a bottle of water last time i was there. And i had to pay for the packets of ketchup. Rotten food, terrible service it should be closed and someone else put in who could do a better job