Who you give money to when you eat at Restaurante Tosca? A month experience working illegally in Jávea

It is usual to remember name of a restaurant where you eat when that experience is enjoyable, yummy and the staff who attends you is endearing.

As offer of places where to go eating out grows customers become more demanding, and consistently owners of restaurant.

Customers pay for the quality of the food and the service but they hardly ever know staff´s working conditions –They not even need to know it!, you will probably think.

After a month-experience working illegally at Tosca as dishwasher-kitchen hand I encourage you to read my story.

Restaurante Tosca, located in front of Javea´s Paradores Hotel, is run by Ferrán and Marta, who promised me to work part time legally a bit soon Easter week came. As I worked Ferrán provided me excuses about my contract (I am still awating answer from my adviser´s office, Ferrán would say several times, when I asked him).

After a week working 4 hours a day they offered me to work three hours in the morning and two hours in the evening.  Part time working conditions became working time cut into pieces but I just accepted.  

It was supposed I would be paid a salary for working part time plus tips. And consequently I received 50 euros from tips for first fortnight I worked at Tosca. But I was upset when I asked Ferrán for second fortnight´s tips. To my surprise he told me I did not deserve them because they were paid on Sunday and certainly I had not worked on Sunday. So I had wasted my chance to get them. In all I was paid 3,3 euros per hour I worked at Tosca plus 50 euros from tips of first fortnight.

I left Tosca angry, helpless and disenchanted - a victim of labor abuse- because of how its owners, Ferrán and Marta, mistreated me.

After four year-experience  in Hospitality Management I must say this is the most injustice happening I remember. And I strongly believe Tosca´s customers have right and must to know true because whenever they eat at Restaurante Tosca they are supporting, consciously or not, the continuity of a labor abuse policy. I just want to leave you guys thinking about it.

Before going eating out we all should think about working conditions of staff that work to make unforgettable us a dining experience. We should think about what we want to support because our actions define the kind of persons we are.

¿Dónde va tu dinero a parar cuando comes en Restaurante Tosca? Un mes trabajando de manera ilegal en Jávea

Es normal acordarse del nombre de un restaurante donde comes cuando la experiencia es divertida, deliciosa y el personal que te atiende entrañable.

Conforme la oferta de establecimientos donde comer crece los clientes llegan a ser más exigentes y en consecuencia los propietarios del negocio hostelero.

Los comensales pagan por la calidad de la comida y del servicio del personal pero rara vez conocen las condiciones laborales de los empleados-¡Ni deberían saberlo!, puede que llegues a pensar.

Tras un mes trabajando en Tosca de manera ilegal como freganchín y ayudante de cocina bajo la promesa de un contrato de trabajo te animo a que conozcas mi historia.

Tosca es el nombre del restaurante ubicado en Jávea, a la altura del Hotel Paradores,  regentado por Ferrán y Marta. Ambos socios prometieron contratarme a tiempo parcial para cocina poco antes de que empezara la Semana Santa y así fue que empecé trabajando. Conforme transcurrían los días me interesé por el contrato, a lo que Ferrán se excusaba con que tenía que consultarlo con la Gestoría, una excusa que fue perpetuándose en el tiempo.

La primera semana trabajé media jornada, 4 horas al día, y después me ofrecieron trabajar tres horas al mediodía y dos horas en la noche. La media jornada pasó a convertirse en una jornada descuartizada.

Según lo hablado ganaría un sueldo mensual y aparte propinas que se me abonarían cada quincena. A raíz de ello, percibí 50 euros durante la primera quincena, pero cuál fue mi sorpresa cuando la segunda semana pregunté a Ferrán por las propinas.  Me dijo que no las merecía porque se pagaban en domingo y dado que ese domingo no había trabajado había perdido la ocasión. Tras trabajar un mes en Tosca la cuenta era la siguiente: me llevaba 50 euros de propinas y un pago de 3,3 euros por hora trabajada.

Abandoné Restaurante Tosca cabreado y bastante desilusionado pero con la obligación de alzar mi voz para que los demás supieran del trato vejatorio del que fui víctima por parte de sus socios, Ferrán y Marta, la cara amable de Tosca.

Tras cuatro años de experiencia en hostelería esta es sin duda la experiencia más injusta que recuerdo. Y creo fervientemente que los comensales de Tosca tienen el derecho y el deber de conocer la verdad porque cada vez que acuden a Tosca a comer están apoyando, conscientemente o no, la continuidad de una política de abuso laboral. Párate a pensarlo unos segundos.

La próxima vez que salgas a comer fuera piensa en las condiciones de trabajo del personal que trata de hacer tu experiencia gastronómica inolvidable. Piensa en qué quieres apoyar porque nuestras acciones definen el tipo de personas que somos.

Memoria post-mortem*

He sido tantos que hoy no sé quién soy. Regatista de océanos innombrables, miliciano de guerras fratricidas, colonizador de imperios indocumentados… A mis años una flor significa adiós, aun rayando la primavera, memoria contra el olvido, patética marcha de luto y desmesura en el halago. Aquí éste, el homenajeado, baila en traje de gala sobre hombros enclenques. Alguien pregunta quién es el muerto. 

* Obra elegida en el I Concurso de microrrelatos "La primavera...la sangre altera".

12 Assumptions You never Thought about

Let´s play to imagine. 

1. Prices agreed by multinationals, what is commonly known as unfair competition.

2. Companies survive due to the job of scholarship holders. 

3. Agency of Statistics is called Agency of Employment.

4. Anchors of news broadcasting and presenters do not feel fulfilled in their positions.

5. Mineral water that is sold in the supermarket starts being called by its real name, tap water. 

6. Freelancers are forced to work for the same business under threat of losing their jobs. 

7. The truth about black economy is taboo –as the rate of suicides.

8. The increasingly scarce expenditure from local government is used for benefiting its representatives or friends of city councilors –never mind how!

9. Digital newspapers feed from other websites. 

10.Nobody wants to belong to European Union apart from politicians and bankers.

11. Censorship does not exist because everything is agreed in advance. 

12. You are forbidden to say a word about the preceding assumptions because your life mostly depends on it.

What if previous suppositions were true?  

The Habit of Being Different… Day after Day

It´s shown who wake up at the same time on a daily basis to do the sort of things they do day after day are keen to fall into routine and, consequently, waste their intellectual potential. For such reason the worst medicine for ideas man is called routine. Unfortunately It´s unavoidable pretty often in positions that demand to turn into a robot… Although there is always gaps to introduce diversity even in routine jobs, making them less boring. You will see it´s possible the habit of being different day after day.

Let me compare the mind as a muscle you can train and maximize in a serial of easy steps. For instance since the moment you change the order to switch on lights of the office your mind is working differently and keeping it awaken. Probably you pay attention stuff you were never aware of its existence.  A brain that periodically receives new stimuli is fit. But everything in its fair measure, as an uncontrolled bombing of messages generates confusion and chaos. And what I purpose is technique not to lose individual identity but to enrich it.

The ways of feeding your brain and, definitely, creativity, are infinite. Drop some of them below:

· Learning new languages, sports categories, discovering hobbies.

· Reading a wide range of topics (for example, biographies, black novel, poetry, natural science, instruction  manual, philosophy… and different mass media to compare views of journalists). It sounds very intellectual  but the interpretation of any billboard will help you.

· Listening the most varied spectrum of musical likes.

· Varying the diet (besides avoiding nutrient deficiency).

· Reinventing the route to get your workplace…

And a list of new activities you are thinking about right away. Remember not to let them take control of brain. It´s the most valuable possession you have. Keep in your mind the curiosity of a kid. The more you know the more aware of your potential you will be. 

The High Price of the Duty

International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) released its annual report * where is listed journalists and mass media workers murder last year and different analysis on journalism worldwide by representatives of IFJ. It is the high price of the duty. 

According to the report, in 2013 it was recorded the killing of 105 colleagues while they simply did their jobs, to report news. Compared to previous year, when 121 journalists were murdered, the figure is lower, although the pressure and harassment´s levels are unknown.  I highlight some points of the report.

• Syria is, for second year, the deadliest country for journalists and mass media workers. 

• After Syria, Iraq, India, Egypt, Pakistan and Philippines record the highest rate of murders

• Russia is the deadliest country for journalists in Europe

• Turkey remains the world’s biggest prison for journalists, with more than 60 in jail.

• 2th November has been appointed International Day of Journalism by UN in memory of the two French journalists murdered in Mali , Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon, who moved to the African country to interview a member of Mouvement National de Liberation de L´Azawad (MLNA).

 

December 8, 2013. Mourners carry the coffin of Yasser Faysal al-Joumaili during his funeral procession in Falluja, 50 km (31 miles) west of Baghdad. Reuters/Thailer Al-Sudani.

* Find the annual report on here

Street Marketing para promocionar Sochi 2014

Para promocionar los Juegos Olímpicos de Sochi 2014 se lanzó una campaña de marketing con un mensaje claro: viajar en el metro de Rusia tiene doble recompensa: es saludable y gratuito gracias a esta iniciativa de Street marketing.

Eso sí, antes tendrás que hacer sentadillas durante 30 segundos.

La máquina expendedora de tickets no pasa desapercibida para los transeúntes que frenan su paso para observar al usuario de marras dispuesto a viajar gratuitamente en el suburbano.

El vídeo se colgó a la red social Youtube en noviembre de 2013 y supera los tres millones de visitas. 

Los Juegos Olímpicos de Sochi 2014 finalizan el 23 de febrero y albergan 15 deportes olímpicos, entre ellos el medio-tubo esquí, el eslalon paralelo snowboard y el patinaje artístico. 

Damaged by Alpha Car Hire

I break records in a month. If it hadn´t been by my disastrous experiences I wouldn´t be able to perfect the letters of complaints. I don´t remember to have written so much letters in my native language but in English this task is more stimulating and challenging.

First letter was sent to Alpha Car Hire Claims Department. My mates and I hired a car from FortitudeValley´s office.

After reading the letter you will be able to guess how shocked I was when Alpha Car Hire staff called by phone to let me know the company would charge me $1,000. Still now I am waiting for an answer from the company.

In second place, I shamefully confess I bit the hook of an advertising concerning how to blog. I accepted the terms because first month was a free trial. You will agree with me. It was an unduly tempting offer for a surfer. The following day I checked the course and immediately applied for the cancellation, seeing it didn´t seem a big deal. The website replied me I was unsubscribed but it didn´t send me any confirmation by email. It works so. The following month I spent an hour to find out who had paid $39 to and half hour later I was sending my second complaint letter. I thought it was the procedure but the author of the course diligently answered me the next day. He was puzzled reading the attempt of complaint letter and in his own words ´There's no need for any more than a normal email with a request of the money back´. This is a story with a happy end.

When I look my head back I see Sir Rasmsussen was right. With an email it would have been enough but the recent bad treatment of Alpha Car Hire staff in my memory got me very angry.

I sent third complaint letter to my Business Diploma teacher regarding to the lack of interest and motivation of one of the teamwork´s members. That is an euphemism. Being quite honest he skipped his duties and meetings. If I had to judge my first experience in workteam I would say he was not the only cheeky and stubborn member in my team.

I promise this month I will repress my impulses and avoid following Pringle´s moto ('Once you pop you can´t stop') if it´s possible.   

The Star guides your Movements or it should

Dream less, play with prospect, lose the fear of heights. In fact forget there is a very steep hill, think there is way to be walked, a guide to be followed if you want, and it doesn´t matter how long it takes whenever you count on a plan to cope yourself. Keep with you a compass for those moments in which you get lost, remember what reasons led you to start the marathon. Run but breath. It´s painful but pleasant. Why don´t you stop being so negative and focus on the best? Delight yourself with your achievements. I mistake but learn. After falling down, I stand up. Be surrounded by reliable hands, just in case you are unable to stand up by yourself. Ask for advise, share your views, 4 eyes see more than 2, don´t be scared of being honest, be in touch with the nature, we come from there. To learn you would need to be humble and accept you are ignorant but in a constant learning stage.

Keep on your way to achieve the star. You are not talking in a dream. Wake up!

A matter of Perceptions

It happens to me that I feel I live in other dimension quite more times than I'm aware of.  Or it's a matter of perceptions, such as the following short story. 

Not only she didn't answer my messages, but I paid 20 bucks for a ticket without drinks. No sooner had I reached the bar than I paid 7 more dollars to have my nerves under control and recover my self-confidence. It always tends to come after some drinks. Don't be in panic, you are alone in a new club crowded with people who look for people of the same gender. I pretended to dominate the situation with my costly beer. Hardly had I finished drinking when I inspected the dance floor only to make sure she wasn't there. On no condition was I encouraged to dance alone. Not until a shela approached me while I looked at the mass of dancers from my seat for dull and drunk spectators. Enjoy the weird atmosphere! It seems to be the slogan of the night after standing up by Redlipstick. That woman took my hand to dance but I didn't gave her desire. Only after accepting her apologise she sat beside me. Such was her inebriation that I gave up asking her name. Had I known what would happen little after I would have refused to dance with her. The fact is that I was abducted by her charming of tireless dancer. I thought, as had either sober person done, that she was completely interested in me. So mistaken was I to my surprise. We performed sexy dances and approaches for a while. You know the perception of a drunk is just perpendicular to the reality. So wasted I was. Scarcely had I danced a couple of songs when I realized she was flirting with other men. It's high time to leave the club but my curiosity held me prisoner fifteen more minutes. Far away the dance floor pretending to talk by phone with somebody, I spied her movements. She looked like to be finding me because she stopped dancing and kept an eye on me while I had my imaginary conversation on the phone. 'Too late darling', I told to myself.