Cafe owner turns down job applicant because 'British people have a poor work ethic'

He's right.  We see a lot of British workers in Australia and a normal comment about them is that "They wouldn't work in an iron lung -- JR

A Hove cafe owner has faced criticism after admitting he turned down a job applicant because "British people have a poor work ethic".

Jullian Preston-Powers, who is a supervisor at Intenso Espresso in Hove, East Sussex, went even further on his remarks after they were uncovered.

He said that the "very poorest type of employee is a British one, full stop".

Job applicant Victoria Atkins, 22, was scheduled to come in for a trial shift but sent a text to Mr Preston-Powers asking to reschedule after she was "soaked" in the rain on the way in.

He responded by rescinding his offer of a trial shift and adding that a "poor work ethic... is highly synonymous with being British".

The cafe owner sent a series of messages to Miss Atkins, including one where he championed one staff member who hadn't had a day off in three years because that was normal for "thin, healthy people who don't eat bacon".

He wrote: "Sorry you are having a stressful morning. It's probably better you did not succeed in getting the job because you can never be late for or miss work at our business. Ever.

"We are British, but generally cannot ever manage to hire British due to poor work ethics."

The Trades Union Congress has condemned his attitude and defended British workers, who the organisation claims "put in some of the longest hours in Europe".

Ms Atkins from Brighton, East Sussex, said: "He is very rude and nasty.

"I'd had a really bad morning and just asked if I could rebook the trial shift.

"I'd taken the bus and left plenty of time, but due to delays I soon realised I would be late.

"By this time I was soaking wet because the bus only went half way, and my friend lives on the same road as the cafe so I went there to shower and dry off.

"I was already a couple of hours late so asked if I could go at a later date, which is when he said no.

"Don't get me wrong, I understand why he didn't let me just do another shift, but his comments about British people having no work ethic were shocking."

She added that the comment about eating bacon left her "very, very offended."

Mr Preston-Powers defended  his remarks. He said: "Our experience of running a small, private, family-run coffee shop in Hove is that the very poorest type of employee is a British one. Full stop.

"The last candidate you want to take on - and we try ardently to hire everyone - is British.

"It is true, comprehensively, that every single one of the British employees that we've had will call in and have some issues, or be late.

"But when you have someone who comes from a country where there are no jobs and appreciate they have a job, they work every single hour.

"It's just a preference and making it very clear and being honest about what genre of people have the best work ethic."

A TUC spokesperson said: "If he's looking for the title of Britain's Worst Boss, it sounds like he's going about it the right way.

"It's illegal to discriminate against job applicants based on their ethnicity.

"Britain's workers have a very strong work ethic. They put in some of the longest hours in Europe and billions of pounds worth of unpaid overtime each year."

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/02/07/hove-cafe-owner-turns-applicant-british-people-have-poor-work/