Catering Manager sacked for telling Passengers the truth

[crewmeal]

What a disgraceful state of affairs East Coast is in by firing this poor guy.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...food-board-colleagues-threatening-strike.html

Train worker 'sacked for telling the truth about sub-standard food on board' and now his colleagues are threatening to strike

• Catering crew head Mark Doughty worked at East Coast trains for 14 years
• Customers asked why they had paninis instead of usual cooked breakfast
• Mr Doughty told them it was due to a staff shortage and broken boiler
• He was fired after being accused of bringing the company into disrepute
• Members of RMT Union are being balloted for industrial action over issue

Catering crew leader Mark Doughty, 39, was fired by East Coast trains after explaining to first-class customers on the Edinburgh to London train that a staff shortage and broken boiler meant they would not receive their usual cooked breakfast.

Angry customers, who said they were not getting what they paid for, allegedly took it out on the staff, reducing some to tears.

But afterwards, East Coast management allegedly accused Mr Doughty, an employee for nearly 14 years, of bringing the company into disrepute...

He should be reinstated immediately.

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

I tend to disbelieve the Daily Mail unless other sources have the same story.

 

[E-Rail]

It's not just the Daily Mail reporting the story

http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.c...r-axed-for-telling-passengers-truth-1-3686656

Catering crew leader Mark Doughty was fired by East Coast trains because he explained that a staff shortage and broken boiler meant they could not provide first-class customers with the full cooked breakfast they should have received on the early-morning Edinburgh-London train.

East Coast management accused Mr Doughty, an employee for nearly 14 years, of bringing the company into disrepute.

But the passenger who first complained about the poor service was horrified to learn of the sacking.

​

David Beaumont, a regular East Coast traveller, praised the train staff for the way they handled protesting passengers.

 

[Tetchytyke]

I recognise the guy, always very cheeky when I've been on the trains, but very good natured.

Shameful, but there's usually another side of the story too. It'll be interesting where this one goes. He's not a trade union activist is he? Call me cynical, but Mr Souter doesn't like them.

 

[E-Rail]

Call me cynical, but Mr Souter doesn't like them.

He'll be the first of many. Anyone unfortunate enough to have been present through a Stagecoach takeover (which is actually what this franchise change is) will know this is just the beginning.

 

[swt_passenger]

Stagecoach haven't taken over yet. How can people possibly be suggesting that they are somehow responsible?

 

[E-Rail]

No they haven't taken over yet, but this is definitely their management style.

 

[Suraggu]

Bloody disgraceful

Also in the Scotsman article about a caterng staff sacked for not selling enough tea and coffee from the trolley is completely true. They have a performance management for catering in regards to sales and if your at the bottom of the monthly tables be afraid as your be pulled in for a performance meeting. Then the levels rise to dismissal.

 

[Robertj21a]

No they haven't taken over yet, but this is definitely their management style.

What a ridiculous comment.

 

[47513 Severn]

It's the Daily Mail and their source appears to be the RMT union. That guarantees we are reading less than ten percent of the whole story. If the union believe he has been unfairly sacked why don't they help him with the costs of going to tribunal where the truth can come out...

Anybody else thinking of the Lymington 'Station Master' story a while back and its eventual outcome?

47513

 

[E-Rail]

What a ridiculous comment.

We'll see.

 

[Bertie the bus]

Shameful, but there's usually another side of the story too. It'll be interesting where this one goes. He's not a trade union activist is he? Call me cynical, but Mr Souter doesn't like them.

You admit there are two sides to every story and you don't know the other side but it's shameful anyway. :roll:

 

[ChathillMan]

If its as described then i cant see how you can sack someone for explaining why the normal menu isn't being served - which leads me to suspect that it wasn't just the truth which was said . for example "its going to get worse with stagecoach" which would be an example of unprofessional behaviour.

Wouldn't surprise me, I've heard a lot worse from EC first class hosts at crew changes and on breaks

 

[Blindtraveler]

He is a genuinely nice guy and although he calls a spade a spade and is maybe a tad on the cheeky side he is, speeking as a passenger a good bloke and I hope things work out for him.

 

[Carlisle]

What a ridiculous comment.

I hope this guy gets reinstated although it's very hard to see how Stagecoach had anything to do with it right now ,more likely a staff manager somewhere trying to make a name for themselves and maybe impress their soon to be new employer

 

[Chrism20]

Yes he was a fairly nice chap anytime I was on his train, I didn't notice him being any cheekier than other staff I have encountered.

Now, as someone who has worked in an HR function for the best part of ten years even the very best of HR Managers would struggle to push a dismissal through based on what has been reported.

It also seems a little bizarre that two members of staff from the same station, albeit from different TOCs who work in catering have been dismissed and made the headlines within a fortnight.

 

[Jonfun]

Don't forget the TransPennine chaps from Skytrac at Edinburgh, under the guise of redundacy.

The problem we're seeing isn't confined to Edinburgh unfortunately either.

 

[Haywain]

Of course, the employer will be bound by confidentiality to say nothing, whereas RMT can say whatever they choose to make a good story. We will never know the truth of what the disciplinary case might actually have been about.

 

[Chrism20]

Of course, the employer will be bound by confidentiality to say nothing, whereas RMT can say whatever they choose to make a good story. We will never know the truth of what the disciplinary case might actually have been about.

Unless it goes to an ET probably not.

I'm assuming if they are balloting it's been to appeal and has been reviewed again by HR.

 

[TDK]

Now, as someone who has worked in an HR function for the best part of ten years even the very best of HR Managers would struggle to push a dismissal through based on what has been reported.

It is a shame but it all depends on what is in his contract, if he has broken the rules or the content of his contract by saying what he did he may not get reinstated.

 

[Chrism20]

It is a shame but it all depends on what is in his contract, if he has broken the rules or the content of his contract by saying what he did he may not get reinstated.

Very true but telling someone there is no chef and a boilers broken and getting sacked for it, even a poor Union rep could see you through that one. You would also have to prove what was done was intentional or obstructive. If that is all he has done its a disgrace and I'd happily recommend a few very good employment lawyers.

The article says a member of staff was crying, I'd be looking at what was said when that happened as that was probably where it more than likely all went wrong and the situation was most volatile.

I'm also surprised there were paninis being offered, normally when there is a mechanical breakdown you get offered nothing. The 0548 isn't the busiest of trains leaving Edinburgh, I've been on it and there has only been me and one other in First Class, come Newcastle though it is very busy so it sounds like the problem may have occurred further down the line rather than on departure.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

I too have travelled with this chap, and regret this situation. I have noticed recent changes which really do ramp up the pressure on catering crews, including a further reduction in staffing levels.

 

[185]

Good PR win for Virgin if they take him back on, but I suspect (after an incident at West Coast, stewardess allegedly headbutting an EPOS screen) Virgin are just as bad as EC.

 

[Crossover]

Would I be right in thinking that either way, the FC service isn't guaranteed so the whole 'not getting what I've paid for' may be a misnomer anyway, in a technical sense? (Though in the situation, I admit I would probably be a little miffed too)

 

[Starmill]

Complimentary Food in First Class is subject to availability. If it's not available, but the accommodation is, do not expect anything from Customer Relations either.

 

[185]

Complimentary Food in First Class is subject to availability. If it's not available, but the accommodation is, do not expect anything from Customer Relations either.

I wonder if that could one day form the basis of a case against the TOCs for sale of goods / services based on what's advertised to potential customers in their literature / publicity / adverts.

Lets say my local pub advertises a free pie with every pint. You buy the pint.... but they've no pies. Surely as the pie was advertised as part of the sale, it could be argued false advertising was being used to up the customer numbers.

*drops can of worms and runs off*

 

[E-Rail]

Complimentary is a great get out of jail term. East Coast could provide nothing to eat or drink for the entire journey and there is no comeback open to customers. If, however the term 'inclusive' were used, then it would be a different story.

East Coast not exactly making friends on their Facebook page over this incident. This is a PR disaster.

 

[Bedpan]

I suppose its no worse than a standard class passenger having to stand because there are no seats (particularly if the train is short formed), or a free so and so advertised if you buy a certain newspaper from a particular shop, only to find that they've run out of the free gifts when you get to the till.

I'd be interested to know what the crew member was supposed to tell the passengers to avoid dismissal - "No staff shortage and no boiler breakdown, in fact no reason why you're getting a panini, you're just getting one"? or "That's not a panini , sir, it's a cooked breakfast"?

 

[A-driver]

I wonder if that could one day form the basis of a case against the TOCs for sale of goods / services based on what's advertised to potential customers in their literature / publicity / adverts.



Lets say my local pub advertises a free pie with every pint. You buy the pint.... but they've no pies. Surely as the pie was advertised as part of the sale, it could be argued false advertising was being used to up the customer numbers.



*drops can of worms and runs off*

No can of worms really as any promotion like 'free pie with a pint' will be accompanied by relevant small print clearly stating that the pie is subject to availability and not garunteed. As long as they have made reasonable effort to provide the free pies (ie not advertised the deal then not provided any at all) then they are in the clear.

 

[PauloDavesi]

We don't know if the dismissed operative had a history of disiplinary offences.
If that was the case, is it really surprising that his employment was terminated?

Without having the full facts it's impossible to reach a fully informed conclusion.