French and German greetings from English-only firm

By ANGELA GREGORY

The Auckland company that has controversially banned foreign languages from a work site has French and German messages on its telephone system for waiting callers.

Fort Richard Laboratories has warned its workers they will be sacked if they speak any language other than English at the Otahuhu premises, after complaints by some staff about Indian banter.

Company director Maurice Clist said the written warning was needed for safety reasons and to keep all workers in the know about what others were saying.

When the Herald rang Mr Clist yesterday, an automated telephone waiting system went from English to French before the call was transferred. Mr Clist admitted the system was "multicultural" and also had some German messages.

But he did not see that as being at odds with his English-only policy.

"This is an international company ... We have contacts overseas."

Half his staff were New Zealand-born, a quarter were Indian and the rest were of other ethnic origins.

The lunchroom was a place for staff to relax during their breaks and when a foreign language, particularly the one the Indians used, was spoken it could create a "trying" atmosphere, not a relaxing one.

"They don't want jabberwocky or gobbledegook going full bore. It [the Indians' language] is like machinegun fire. It is a staccato-type speech.

"I don't want to be critical but it is not a smooth, quiet undertone. They get quite excited and some of the staff don't like it," Mr Clist said.

Staff were happy with his ruling, he said, and there had not been a problem since he issued the memo.

"It looks like it's me versus the staff. It is not. It is the very antithesis of that. I wouldn't know who I am against.

"The staff all see it as perfectly reasonable."

Mr Clist said he was sick of the publicity over the issue.

"It's a storm in a teacup, being taken out of context."

He said staff had approached him yesterday in support of the policy, as had members of the public.

"The average Kiwi knows what I am talking about", but there had been "one or two" disgruntled callers from "the university".

Mr Clist said he would provide separate lunch areas if staff wanted them, but he did not think that likely.

The Human Rights Commission had not yesterday received any formal complaints about the policy so was not directly involved.

Chief mediator Mervin Singham said there could be justifications for English-only policies around safety issues, although a blanket ban, including during lunch breaks, appeared discriminatory.

Mr Singham said any rule that was applied to all workers but had a disproportionate impact on some could be unlawful.

Employers and Manufacturers' Association chief executive Alasdair Thompson said there had to be a valid reason for the policy to be lawful, and it should be written into the employment contract.

additional reporting: NZPA