Sir, – Defending his firm's policy of making 999 workers ask for permission to use the toilet, Jim Farnsworth of Conduit Global writes that in place of unions, his firm has "important tools designed to gauge levels of employee satisfaction" (January 27th).
Sounds impressive. Does he have any “important tools” designed to gauge the effect on the public when 999 workers are treated with routine contempt? – Yours, etc,
RICHARD McALEAVEY,
Balbriggan,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – Emergency phone operators must now ask for permission to use the toilet while at work. Do they not have a day off during the week? – Yours, etc,
EUGENE TANNAM,
Firhouse,
Dublin 24.
Sir, – That 999 operators must ask permission to use the toilet exposes an attitude to front-line staff that is simply disgusting.
Front-line staff in most areas of the public service are low paid and struggle to carry out duties dictated by higher-paid managers, but when we learn that a private operator charged with the provision of this essential public service treats its employees with such contempt, is it any wonder that ordinary people in this country are sceptical of many of their elected representatives’ stated desire to create a fairer society? – Yours, etc,
FRED MEANEY,
Dalkey,
Co Dublin.