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Domino's delivery man quits after workers told to only speak English

 

Heather Saul
Thursday 28 November 2013 13:57 GMT
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Domino’s said good summer sales were helped by cooler weather
Domino’s said good summer sales were helped by cooler weather (Getty Images)

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A man has left his job with Domino's over what he described as an “offensive” sign prohibiting staff from using any language other than English in the workplace.

Stuart Horton, a delivery driver for the Ashton branch of Domino’s Pizza in Preston said a sign had been placed in a staff area warning employees that they could face disciplinary action if they communicated in any other language apart from English while working in the store.

The sign read: “All staff. Whilst you are working at this store you must speak in English.

”This if for ease of communication, safety and due to some complaints from staff at other stores.

“Anybody ignoring this could find disciplinary procedures followed, as it could be seen as a form of workplace bullying/harassment.”

The word 'English' was underlined twice, written in a different colour and highlighted in its box.

Mr Horton said he has friends from countries such as India, Pakistan, Poland and Hungary who also took offence to the sign. He said many of the employees at the branch do not speak English as a first language.

He told the Lancashire Evening Post he had reported the incident to Domino's Head Office and the area manager has also agreed to meet with Mr Horton and discuss his concerns.

“The manager took the staff on in the first place knowing full well their native tongues are from different regions and they are trying to learn English", he told the paper.

“Some of them have a basic grasp of English but it isn’t a problem and there isn’t a communication barrier. Everybody speaks English if talking to customers or answering the phone."

In a statement, Domino's Pizza said: “To ensure a good flow of communication in our stores, the use of a common language is spoken at work to avoid confusion and to create a more welcoming environment.

”It is also paramount that all safety aspects are adhered to and for this reason a common language is vital.

“The tone of the poster shown is a little strong and we will be picking this up with the franchisee.”

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