Industrial Canteen

Introduction:
The State Government may make rules requiring that in any specified factory wherein more than two hundred and, fifty workers are ordinarily employed, a canteen or canteens shall be provided and maintained by the occupier for the use of the workers.

Managing Committee
The Canteen Managing Committee shall consist of an equal number of persons nominated by the occupier and elected by the workers. The number of elected workers shall be in the proportion of 1 for every 1000 workers employed in the factory, provided that in no case shall there be more than 5 or less than 2 workers on the Committee.

The manager shall determine and supervise the procedure for elections to the Canteen Managing Committee.
A Canteen Managing Committee shall be dissolved by the manager two years after the last election, no account being taken of a bye-election.

Roles & Responsibilities of Committee

Role

The canteen committee reports to the sponsoring body (Parent Body).

The canteen committee proposes major decisions on the operation of the canteen. The chairperson and treasurer of the canteen committee will liaise directly with canteen staff and volunteers on matters relating to the day-to-day management of the canteen and report matters of importance to the canteen committee.

Responsibilities

Implement the canteen policy and initiate annual review of this policy. Plan, organize, control and evaluate the needs of the canteen. May employ and dismiss staff according to legislation. Provide job descriptions, work agreements and performance reviews for paid staff. Ensure a healthy and safe work environment. Make sure all financial records are in order and an audit is performed at the end of each year. Make decisions on the items to be sold in the canteen and approve the sale prices of new items. Establish the required profit margin and appropriate control. Produce a canteen menu and price list. Monitor, and if required, upgrade the condition of the canteens facilities and major equipment.

Rules to Set-up Canteen

In factories in which workplace are situated at a distance of more than 0.2 km from the canteen. Canteen should be situated not less than 15.2 meters from any latrine, urinal, boiler house, coal stacks, ash dumps and any other source of dust, smoke fumes. All the walls and roof shall be of suitable heat-resisting materials and shall be water proof.

Floor shall be made of smooth and impervious materials. The doors and windows of a canteen building shall be of fly-proof construction and shall allow adequate ventilation. The canteen shall be sufficiently lighted at all times when any persons have access to it.

Resources Required

Efforts of the human resources, logistics and trade union personnel Food ordering and receiving process map A room with sufficient space, light and air Sufficient equipment and tools for the canteen Supervision of management.

Indicators for monitoring

Hygiene of the kitchen.

Medical supervision of canteen staff. Education of canteen staff.

CASE STUDY : Indian Railways

Canteens on Railways are of two types:(a) Statutory:Under Section 4-6 of the Factories Act, 1948,it is incumbent on the employer to set up canteens in establishments which are governed by this Act and employ more than 250 workers. and (b) Non-statutory (Recognized):Canteens are set up where the staff strength is 100 or more and where the staff strength is not less than 25 but less than 100, Tiffin rooms are set up.

Principles governing the setting up of canteens

The following guiding Principles have been laid down for the setting up of the canteens:(i) Canteens should be opened at points where considerable bodies of labour are concentrated such as workshops, sheds, yards, large stations etc. (ii) Any scheme for the provisions of new canteens in accordance with this scale should be submitted to the Board for approval indicating financial implications duly vetted by the F.A. & C.A.O. (iii) Canteens should be self-supporting and sale prices should be adjusted from time to time with reference to the cost of procurement of consumable including gas etc. , running expenses and taking the year as whole, should be worked on a "no loss," no profit" basis. (iv) They should not involve loss in working hours i.e. light refreshment should go to the worker and not to the worker to the refreshments; while in the case of more elaborate meals, these must be consumed outside working hours; (iv) Commodities sold should be wholesome and cheap.

Management of Canteens
Canteens provided under the statute. The staff served by Canteens should be actively associated in the management. For this purpose, a Committee of management of staff should be formed in accordance with the rules framed by the State Government concerned in this regard to help in the day-to-day working of the canteen. However, the Committee will have purely advisory functions. The administrations can constitute a staff Committee for the management of the canteens, but the legal responsibility for the proper management rests not with the Committee but solely with the Railway Administration.

Incidence of cost
When it is proposed to open a canteen as outlined in the above paragraphs the incidence of cost shall be as under: (1) Canteens provided otherwise than under the factories Act, 1948. (a) The Railway Administration may provide necessary the necessary accommodation gas equipment, sanitary and electric installations, furniture and cooking utensils, electricity and water. (b) The canteen accounts should be debited with the cost of working and running the canteen including cost of crockery, cutlery, service, etc. required for the canteen. (c) UNIFORMS: Keeping in view the sanitary conditions and tidy appearance of the canteen staff in general and bearers in particular, the uniform shall be supplied by the Railway Administration at the following scales to the categories indicated below:.

CATEGORY 1
Bearers

ITEM OF UNIFORMS 2

COLOUR/QUAL ITY 3

FREQUENCY 4
2 sets every year. 2 set every year. Same as prescribed for other categories of staff under Dress Regulations. 2pairs every year. 3(Three)sets every year. Same as prescribed for other categories of staff under Dress Regulations.
One pairs every year. 3 sets every year Same as prescribed for other categories of staff under Dress Regulations. One pair every year

i) Trousers ii) Coat White/Terrycot (Style 3-s and 16- 2) White/Terrycot iii) Jersey Navy blue/Woollen
iv) Shoes White/Canvas Grey/Drill } Grey/Cellular } Navy blue/Woollen White/Canvas Khaki/Drill } Khaki/cellular} Navy blue/Woollen White/Canvas

Halwais,Cooks, Asstt.Halwasis/ Cooks/ Helpers/ coffee/ tea/ makers and Washboys. weepers

i) Trousers ii) Bushshirts (half sleeve) (Styles 4-s amd 14-s) iii) Jersey iv)Shoes i) Trousers ii) Bush shirts(half sleeve) (Styles 4-s and 14-s) iii) Jersey iv) Shoes

Periodical Check- The equipment made over by the Railway to the managing committee will be subject to periodical verification by the Railway and any shortage found will have to be made good by the managing committee as a part of the working expenses of the canteen. Improvements in the working of canteens- With a view to effecting improvements in the working of canteens and also their cleanliness and attractiveness, the following steps may be taken, namely(i) As far as possible marble chop floors and mosaic dados for walls should be provided in the canteens, and the layout of the kitchens and the serving counters therein should be devised in such a way as to make the canteens look more attractive. (ii) The, successful functioning of the canteen to a large measure depends on its cleanliness and attractiveness. It is, therefore necessary to impress upon the staff concerned the need for maintaining a high standard of aesthetic appeal in respect of the canteens. (iii) The president of the canteen committee should constantly watch the customers needs and introduce reforms in consultation with the canteen committee, which would make the canteen more attractive and useful.

Quality and cost control Necessary arrangement should be made to ensure adequate control over quality and cost of the foodstuffs served in the canteen and also over the cost of canteen establishment.

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