Was This Company Right In Trying To Enforce The Speaking Of English On Their Premises?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3676749/Factory-told-Polish-Slovakian-workers-speak-English-work-forced-abandon-scheme-following-complaints-discriminatory.html

[Old_Geezer]

"looked like permanent staff to me."
In which case I refer you to the last sentence of my previous post.
Anyway how permanent is permanent ?

[EDDIE51]

Ok to rule that Business has to be conducted in English, but you can not force people not to use their mother tongue in private conversation while they are working.

[vulcan42]

Mamyalynne, good point, I did not consider people who work in several countries over a short period.

[jourdain2]

Mamyalynne has a good point and exceptions must be made - but as a rule, people should speak the language of the country in which they live and function. I include our having had to learn reasonably fluent French (not always 100% accurate, but communicated) and as a matter of courtesy we used to speak French when in areas such as doctors' waiting rooms.

The French have the right idea on this. No quarter is qiven in official documents etc., you have to cope on your own. In fact there is a law that all business frontages must be in French (you can add an English translation if you like). If you don't learn the language then you are the one who brings along a friend to translate or pays for a translator.

Thinking of people I knew who were applying for work, French classes were provided at a very reasonable cost (Not free) to make you more employable.

Nothing wrong with that, is there? Of course the company is right, there are staff cohesion issues and health and safety and all sorts of reasons.

[237SJ]

My company has a policy of having to speak in English when on duty. We're many different nationalities. I actually heard my Japanese colleague ticking off his countrywoman for speaking in Japanese the other day so yes, there is absolutely nothing wrong with it.