Hi Guys,

The new staff site is at http://rgv.net.au/staff

You will need to register for the site the first time you log in.
thanks,
Brian

There have been some recent questions about our staff food policy, and a request for us to outline the policy a little more clearly.
It is an area where staff seem to be a little confused. I’m sorry if staff have heard different things from different supervisors, but as far as we’re concerned the policy has always been the same, and is as follows:

1. Staff members visiting either restaurant as customers (ie when they are not rostered on shift)

a) If ordering from the ala carte menu Staff should be given 50% off their main meal.  This means that they should receive 50% off one of the items they order, normally the most expensive food item that they personally consume.  This discount DOES NOT apply to drinks or desserts, even if this is the only, or most expensive thing, they order.

b) If sharing from the ala carte menu with other people at the table, the staff member is entitled to 50% of ONE of the main meals that they order, as long as it forms a substantial part of that staff members meal.  (For example, if a staff member comes in with one other person and shares a large pizza then they are entitled to that pizza at 50% off, or if they come in as a group of four and share 2 large pizzas, they are entitled to 50% off ONE of the pizzas.  If they come in as a group of 8 and share one large pizza they are NOT entitled to the discount, nor if they come in with friends, order a pizza, have one bite and give it to someone else).  Common sense should prevail in this situation, and the supervisors’ discretion is absolute.

c) If a staff member is part of a group that orders the RGV sharing menu, Plates with mates, Tapas with mates or pizza with mates, that staff member is entitled to 50% off the function price for their meal.

d) This 50% discount  cannot be used in conjunction with any other special or promotional discount.  For example:

- Taco Tuesday. (You can use your 50% off ala carte meals at the coughing gherkin on Taco Tuesday, but must pay full price for any of the discounted Taco Tuesday items)

-  Free vouchers given for community or charity purposes. (Staff are welcome to use them, but at the full menu prices)

-  Birthday emails (staff are welcome to come dine with someone who has one  of these emails, however if they intend to use the staff discount then they WILL NOT count as one of the 4 mandatory guests to qualify this other person for their free birthday meal.)

- monetized staff incentive scheme or vouchers given to staff for other purposes. Again, full price applies. (We’ve not got anything like this happening at the moment, but we have in the past, and may again in the future.)

2. Staff while on shift (either having a meal break, eating before or after work, or having takeaway).

The situation is different for full time and permanent part time staff (this includes apprentices and trainees) as it is to casuals.  If you’re not sure of your classification you can look on your pay slip, however the default employment status at grapevine & gherkin is Casual, so unless you specifically know you are otherwise then you are a casual.

a) Full-time and permanent part time staff members are given ONE free meal for each shift that they work.  There is no restriction on what they eat, although the idea of it is for them to try as many of the meals as possible in order to develop a strong knowledge of our food.

b) Casual staff members are given ONE meal per shift at a discount of 50%.  This can be eaten before work, during your break (if your shift is more than 5 hours long) or after work – either eat in or takeaway.

c) Discounts do not apply to desserts or alcohol.

d) The discount exists to help develop staff menu knowledge.  For this reason it is dependent on ordering actual menu items with no modification.  We have always been happy to relax this rule a bit, but only within reason.  If a meal has been changed so severely that it no longer resembles a product of the restaurant then the discount should not apply.

e) Half and half pizzas are an abomination, and offensive to civilized society.  For this reason discounts WILL NOT apply to them.

3.  Staff Food – other notes

a) It is important for staff to display courtesy to each other in this area.  Just because we are in a professional service environment, does not mean that courteous and polite behaviour to each other is not appropriate.  (This applies equally to kitchen staff getting coffees / drinks etc).

b) It is also EXTREMELY helpful if staff can order their meals as early as possible.  A few years ago, it was most habit of most staff at grapevine to order their meals when they started at 6pm.  The kitchen is able to keep them on hold until your break time.

c) There is no legal obligation under the Federal Restaurant award or the National Employment Standards for us to provide food to staff, at either a discount or full price.  We do so in order to stimulate and encourage a strong knowledge of our products amongst our wait staff and cooks.  We do not consider it either an entitlement, nor part of a staff member’s employment package.  In the fashion industry, retail employees are often given half price clothing, not as part of their pay, but because they are expected to wear the clothes to work, and show pride in the organization’s products.  I would encourage you to look at it in the same way.

I hope this helps clarify the situation a bit.  If I’ve left something out or if you have questions or comments, please use the comment selection below.

Brian

Nat & I would like to express our extreme disappointment in the way that certain red grapevine staff members behaved at the Coughing Gherkin last Wednesday night.

This excessively drunk, loud & childish behaviour was not only disturbing to other customers, but disrespectful to your colleagues, employers & the organization as a whole.  In a hotel company or some of the larger hospitality employers we have worked for in the past, behaviour of this sort at a workplace would normally be grounds for dismissal, or other severe disciplinary action.

We have no desire to punish or sanction the staff as a whole for the actions of a few, but it is obvious that some of you can’t be trusted to behave with appropriate maturity. For this reason, it is now policy at Red Grapevine & Coughing Gherkin that if staff members wish to visit either restaurant as a customer, you will need  written permission from Natalie or I.  You can get this by emailing Nat on natpowles@gmail.com or me red.grapevine@bigpond.com.

Brian

To all grapevine floor staff,

During the colder months, we have established as a policy that the bar area should be fully set up at the end of each night, this is irrespective of whether the tables are booked or not.

Can we make sure this is done every night without fail from now on.

Thanks,

Brian