A chara, – One of the items in your Index feature (Magazine, December 19th) is that "awkward feeling" when witnessing "staff being given out to in restaurants and cafes" and exhorts managers to "take it out the back", presumably to spare the blushes of journalists forced to witness bad behaviour by management in retail workplaces.
If a member of management in any retail establishment openly disrespects staff in a public area, it’s a racing certainty that disrespect for the unfortunate customer probably happens “out the back”, too.
Why would any self-respecting customer witness poor treatment of vulnerable staff and neither object loudly nor flounce out of the retail outlet in protest?
Never forget that staff in many establishments, such as retail outlets, restaurants and cafes, are likely to be on the minimum wage, and shouldn’t have to put up with bad behaviour from management, other staff or customers at Christmas or any other time. – Is mise,
GARY LYNCH.
Kilkenny.