Bartender at trendy Japanese restaurant WINS unfair dismissal case after his boss sacked him via WhatsApp and branded him a ‘quiet quitter’: Read all the messages

July 8, 2023

Mr. Win-Boh: How is your trip?

Mr. Takagi: Just landed.

It was amazing.

Mr. Win-Boh: Welcome home!

July 10, 2023

Mr. Takagi: “Hey Jackson, I just wanted to let you know that I won’t be able to work next Tuesday – Thursday.”

July 11, 2023

Mr. Win-Boh: Hey Ken, thanks for letting me know, I don’t have any services for you at this time. Jamie has hired two new people for the bar. Nhi is leaving soon to work in a laboratory and you are going for a job interview before your holiday. I’ll let you know if it works out with these new people or not.

Mr. Takagi: The job interview I had before I left didn’t happen. Wait, so if things go well with the new guys, I’ll just be out of work.

Mr. Win-Boh: We had to make a call about the bar position. We knew you were always going to leave to become an accountant and with Nhi leaving, we also had to find a replacement. So we’re going to simplify the cocktail list and have an all-rounder.

The decision to look for someone also came quickly, as we realized we needed someone who wanted to be at nonda and work with the team. In recent months you have not shown the right attitude. Was it very difficult to work with when it felt like you hated working here?

That’s why when you told me you were going for an interview, you were ready to leave and wanted change.

Mr. Takagi: I just wanted some notice, rather than finding out now.

Mr Win-Boh: There are also no restrictions for the new employees.

Mr. Takagi: I was happy to work at Nonda, but you just assumed that wasn’t the case

Mr. Win-Boh: When someone tells you that he or she has gone for a job interview, you should prepare yourself. It’s not easy to find people for the bar.

Mr. Takagi: I understand that it is difficult to find bartenders at the moment. But please give me a heads up.

Mr. Win-Boh: Compared to the other team members, you looked miserable being here.

How much notice do you need? The same message you gave me when you started looking for another job?

Mr. Takagi: There is a difference between looking for another job and starting another job. You should know that better than anyone. Also, I told you that I was looking for another job because at the last minute you asked me if I was free to work a shift. Anyway, if things don’t work out with your new hires, let me know.

Mr. Win-Boh: It must be so. I didn’t want to be a silent quitter. You honestly told me what I am grateful for, which also reminded me that you will soon be an accountant. I had to find people as quickly as possible.

Mr. Takagi: That won’t stop you from telling me you’re firing me.

I wish you had just told me straight out. I wasn’t a silent quitter either, I still showed up to shifts early, I cleaned the bar to the hilt as expected per the cleaning list, I made stock lists for you, I showed up to shifts that weren’t scheduled LAST MINUTE. Don’t label me as a silent quitter just because the work environment was terrible.

Mr. Win-Boh: Why was the work environment terrible?

Mr. Takagi: Last minute services, services canceled at the last minute, preparations not done during quiet periods (weekday lunches), cocktails going out with terrible presentation, random new cocktail preparations that expire after the promotion ( coconut foam), you don’t puncture your rollers, no one cleans the lipstick off the glasses except me, people wipe cutlery poorly so it doesn’t shine, you use the window cleaner to wash cutlery (your window cleaner recycles water, so all those rice and oil on the cutlery is starting to get used on glassware, all ‘clean’ glassware with water stains, lipstick stains or a combination of all 3) (this is a big problem if you are serving a nice bottle of wine and all special glasses are dirty), glasses bins are not emptied during busy lunches…..

Not to mention I find out I’ve been indirectly fired and you come down on me personally by calling me a silent quitter.

Mr. Win-Boh: Cool, thanks, so it’s everyone’s fault?

Mr. Takagi: I mean that scheduling is not my job. Neither of them manages the company.

Mr Win-Boh: Exactly

Mr. Takagi: The work environment is something I have no control over, so it will always be things that are not directly related to me. Things like management, the fit-out and colleagues.

Mr. Win-Boh: I wanted to make a schedule for the next three weeks so that you have time to make appointments, but I can hire a temporary worker who will do exactly what you are willing to do.

Mr. Takagi: Okay, go ahead, you haven’t let me know exactly what you want from me yet, so it’s nothing new. I think I can handle it.

Mr. Win-Boh: OK Thanks Ken for pointing this out and providing feedback. We will work on it.

Good luck finding the accounting job.

Mr. Takagi: Thank you, good luck with Nonda.