Restaurant staff face drug testing to combat abuse

1.00pm

Restaurant workers may face drug testing in moves to combat drug abuse in the hospitality workplace.

The Restaurant Association of New Zealand said today prevalent drug use among hospitality workers prompted the organisation to launch a drug and alcohol education programme today.

Association chief executive Neville Waldren said it was estimated up to 40 per cent of restaurant workers had tried illegal drugs at least once over the past year.

Drug abuse was the number one cause for workplace violence and workplace theft in the restaurant industry and the time had come to stand up to the problem.

"It impacts on our ability to serve the public. Our people are working in a difficult environment as it is and drug problems compound the difficulties," he told NZPA today.


"This is not a problem unique to our industry, research has shown it's a problem all over the country. We have 1600 businesses as members, and that's up to 20,000 workers, so we want to be proactive and act quickly.

The restaurant and hospitality business employs around 75,000 people nationwide.

The programme was developed in response to research by the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR), which estimated 40 per cent of the national workforce in New Zealand had tried illegal drugs at least once over the past 12 months.

Mr Waldren said with the social nature of the hospitality industry, combined with the relatively young demographic make-up of the workforce, ESR believed the 40 per cent figure held true for the hospitality and food service sectors.

"The situation has been brought to a head. One restaurant in Auckland had four staff aged under 20 addicted to P (methamphetamine), and at another place a staff member confessed to stealing $10,000 primarily to feed a P habit."

The Restaurant Association/ESR workplace kit includes newly drafted employment agreement forms allowing for the potential of drug testing, how employers and staff can recognise drug and alcohol abuse symptoms, advisory posters for staff locker and changing rooms, and rehabilitation measures.



Employees observed taking, selling, supplying or being in possession of drugs at work will be disciplined.

Voluntary and compulsory rehabilitation will be offered, with the affected employee to be subjected to at least three random drug and alcohol tests over the next 12 months. ESR will provide the drug testing.

Failure to take part in a rehabilitation programme would be grounds for dismissal.

The association's president, David Meagher, said in a statement today the unprecedented rise in P use among young people -- including bar and restaurant staff -- had reached epidemic proportions and was affecting service standards in bars, restaurants and cafes around the country.

"Three years ago P was virtually unheard of. Now it is prevalent in our society. P is our number one target because it's so dangerous and addictive ... it's far more addictive than cocaine, heroin or alcohol."

"We see this as a crucial health and safety issue. Kitchens can be hazardous places to work ... and for front of house, it is essential our staff act in a professional manner ... a barman or waitress under the influence of drugs or alcohol does not live up to that image."

The Service and Food Workers Union today condemned the proposed drug testing.

Union spokesman Alistair Duncan said if the industry really had the welfare of its customers and its workers at heart it would put investment into training, improving wages and for the tiny proportion of staff who had drug dependency, providing an employee assistance programme.

"What would be the training level for detecting staff on drugs? If it's peer group level then it is open to abuse, to snitching and manipulation.

"This is a sledgehammer approach. They should be working with drug and alcohol professionals.

"What they should be talking about is education at all levels, not just placing an ambulance at the bottom of the cliff."

Mr Duncan said he did not fault the principle of what the association was doing, but he did question the method.

"Just because 40 per cent of workers may have tried illegal drugs once over the past 12 months doesn't mean all of that percentage has a problem that is affecting their work."

The Air New Zealand case earlier in the year showed widespread drug testing was not appropriate, he said.

In a landmark decision in April the Employment Court in Auckland decided Air New Zealand may drug test some of its employees in specific circumstances.

In its judgment the court found that the Health and Safety in Employment Act and general law imposed "absolute duties on employers to take all practicable steps to eliminate hazards to employees and others".

Because of this the court said it was reasonable that employers should be able to take measures, including drug testing, in "safety-sensitive areas".

Hospitality Association of New Zealand president Bruce Robertson said despite the announcement of today's measures he could not foresee any alteration in current workplace agreements for his members.

"We know the Restaurant Association has had a bee in their bonnets about this situation. Whether the problem is as widespread as they say, I couldn't say," he told NZPA today.

"We will continue to provide our members with good employment advice, to allow them to use appropriate procedures should they encounter any problems."

- NZPA