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Description
I, Terry Barth, a dedicated server/bartender/busser for four years at the Serbian Social Center, would bring to the attention of the Church Committee the controversial acts of the management, specifically Nancy and Alex Colacovic.
The following statements are on behalf of the entire Serbian Social Center staff (Servers, Cooks, Bussers, Dishwashers, etc):

Within the past year I have noticed many problems between the management and staff. The present majority of the staff fears for their job being quite aware of the discrimination and hypocritical actions on Nancy & Alex’s part, such as Tom VanderVelde’s Employee Warning Notice for whistling on  premises, and Gregg Harris’s firing for consuming an alcoholic beverage on the job. In Gregg’s case, he was admittedly wrong.  However, Alex drinks quite frequently in his Beverage Managing/Bartending position, but has also served the staff (including those not of age) alcoholic beverages as well on a fairly regular basis, when he knows he’s not being watched.

On a personal note, I have also been “kicked out” of the hall during my shift under certain discriminations. There have been times where I have been taken off the floor, by management because of my appearance, which I have altered on many occasions to comply with their wishes. Despite my numerous attempts, Nancy and Alex have always found something of which to accuse me.

The recent warnings I have been issued state the following:

         1.  Violations: Conduct, Insubordination, and Other: Physical Harassment
             Company Statement: Poked Assistant Supervisor in ribs. Assistant Supervisor has requested many times for this behavior to stop.
             Employee Statement:Considering the companionship between the Assistant Supervisor (Alex Colacovic) inside and outside of the job, also consistent “playing” and/or “joking” around (on his part within the job), I wouldn’t expect this to be a dilemma.

          2. Violations: Conduct, Insubordination, Willful Damage to Company Property
              Company Statement:Graffitti on company tray in addition to previous Graffitti. Foul language  used towards Supervisor and Company.
              Employee Statement:The justification for a profane use of words I cannot come up with, but in the consideration of countless times the Supervisor/Sales/Beverage Manager (Alex Colacovic) has dealt “foul language” before our customers, I fail to comprehend their justification in finding my actions in the wrong without mutually witnessing their own. On the other hand, the tray was previously defaced before my personal additions. Yet, I have no good rhyme or reasoning to express the right in doing so. I agree with that particular aspect of this particular warning.

While I see the first warning I had stated above being a bit ridiculous, Alex snapping on a bad day,  the second warning I find as a great example for illustrating their hypocritical actions. Apparently, majority of the staff witnessed Alex, Nancy, and the bartender having an argument in front of the customers, in the midst of a function, cursing and disputing near the bar in the East Side Banquet room. Immediately after the argument, I was approached, yelled at, and there-after kicked out. This would not be the first time where such conduct has been displayed before the customers. Alex’s temper has been utterly inconsiderate and absurdly profane to other members of the staff, in front of customers as well, being unbecoming to the public.

There had been plenty of times I had approached Nancy privately to discuss these problems about the staff and management, yet my efforts were immediately shunned. Less then a year ago, when I had mentioned the staff was strongly concerned about how we were treated, she had responded “I don’t care how any of you feel”. My personal note on her remark would be to ask, “Why does she consistently demand we smile while we are serving our tables, doing our job, when we are feeling mistreated, operating under an apathetic manager?” (That is to say Nancy being the manager. She has yet to display her position in the Serbian Social Center to the staff). Nancy and Alex has told the staff many times that they, themselves, “deserve” respect, and under the strong belief that respect is earned rather than obligated, there is no respect given unto them from the staff in the consideration of their actions. If anything, when a worker enters a job, a base level of respect is expected in both directions.

Other notes I would like to bring up on the business aspect you may or may not be aware of as well: There is lack of server training, people coming in and out of the serving position because of little or no training.  There has  also been a security discrimination, Alex informing the security to take any outside liqueur being brought in the facility by customers, but allowing Serbian functions, unaffiliated with the church, leeway from that rule.

I believe these comments I had brought to you should be noticed and brought to light. If you speak to the staff, confronted individually, they will surely comment the same. I hope that these issues can be solved to aid the Company and Staff. Thank you for your time and patience.

Description
I, Terry Barth, a dedicated server/bartender/busser for four years at the Serbian Social Center, would bring to the attention of the Church Committee the controversial acts of the management, specifically Nancy and Alex Colacovic.
The following statements are on behalf of the entire Serbian Social Center staff (Servers, Cooks, Bussers, Dishwashers, etc):

Within the past year I have noticed many problems between the management and staff. The present majority of the staff fears for their job being quite aware of the discrimination and hypocritical actions on Nancy & Alex’s part, such as Tom VanderVelde’s Employee Warning Notice for whistling on  premises, and Gregg Harris’s firing for consuming an alcoholic beverage on the job. In Gregg’s case, he was admittedly wrong.  However, Alex drinks quite frequently in his Beverage Managing/Bartending position, but has also served the staff (including those not of age) alcoholic beverages as well on a fairly regular basis, when he knows he’s not being watched.

On a personal note, I have also been “kicked out” of the hall during my shift under certain discriminations. There have been times where I have been taken off the floor, by management because of my appearance, which I have altered on many occasions to comply with their wishes. Despite my numerous attempts, Nancy and Alex have always found something of which to accuse me.

The recent warnings I have been issued state the following:

         1.  Violations: Conduct, Insubordination, and Other: Physical Harassment
             Company Statement: Poked Assistant Supervisor in ribs. Assistant Supervisor has requested many times for this behavior to stop.
             Employee Statement:Considering the companionship between the Assistant Supervisor (Alex Colacovic) inside and outside of the job, also consistent “playing” and/or “joking” around (on his part within the job), I wouldn’t expect this to be a dilemma.

          2. Violations: Conduct, Insubordination, Willful Damage to Company Property
              Company Statement:Graffitti on company tray in addition to previous Graffitti. Foul language  used towards Supervisor and Company.
              Employee Statement:The justification for a profane use of words I cannot come up with, but in the consideration of countless times the Supervisor/Sales/Beverage Manager (Alex Colacovic) has dealt “foul language” before our customers, I fail to comprehend their justification in finding my actions in the wrong without mutually witnessing their own. On the other hand, the tray was previously defaced before my personal additions. Yet, I have no good rhyme or reasoning to express the right in doing so. I agree with that particular aspect of this particular warning.

While I see the first warning I had stated above being a bit ridiculous, Alex snapping on a bad day,  the second warning I find as a great example for illustrating their hypocritical actions. Apparently, majority of the staff witnessed Alex, Nancy, and the bartender having an argument in front of the customers, in the midst of a function, cursing and disputing near the bar in the East Side Banquet room. Immediately after the argument, I was approached, yelled at, and there-after kicked out. This would not be the first time where such conduct has been displayed before the customers. Alex’s temper has been utterly inconsiderate and absurdly profane to other members of the staff, in front of customers as well, being unbecoming to the public.

There had been plenty of times I had approached Nancy privately to discuss these problems about the staff and management, yet my efforts were immediately shunned. Less then a year ago, when I had mentioned the staff was strongly concerned about how we were treated, she had responded “I don’t care how any of you feel”. My personal note on her remark would be to ask, “Why does she consistently demand we smile while we are serving our tables, doing our job, when we are feeling mistreated, operating under an apathetic manager?” (That is to say Nancy being the manager. She has yet to display her position in the Serbian Social Center to the staff). Nancy and Alex has told the staff many times that they, themselves, “deserve” respect, and under the strong belief that respect is earned rather than obligated, there is no respect given unto them from the staff in the consideration of their actions. If anything, when a worker enters a job, a base level of respect is expected in both directions.

Other notes I would like to bring up on the business aspect you may or may not be aware of as well: There is lack of server training, people coming in and out of the serving position because of little or no training.  There has  also been a security discrimination, Alex informing the security to take any outside liqueur being brought in the facility by customers, but allowing Serbian functions, unaffiliated with the church, leeway from that rule.

I believe these comments I had brought to you should be noticed and brought to light. If you speak to the staff, confronted individually, they will surely comment the same. I hope that these issues can be solved to aid the Company and Staff. Thank you for your time and patience.