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Author Topic: What are you wearing? Mark J. Marshall Film God Posts: 3188 From: New Castle, DE, USA Registered: Aug 2002 posted 03-25-2003 09:13 AM                    We (projectionists) are required to wear the standard staff uniform, although on Thursdays we're frequently too hot and busy to get changed into them. I also happen to agree with Brad on this one. Recently, the AC was down in our booth for about two months. We threatened to start wearing Hawaiian shirts to work if the managers didn't get it fixed. Finally one day I did wear the shirt, and it was quite the scandal among the floor staff. Two days later, the AC was fixed.  |  IP: Logged John Spooner Expert Film Handler Posts: 186 From: South Australia, Australia Registered: Jan 2003 posted 03-25-2003 09:37 AM                     Brad Miller. (without prejudice or opinion). Brad, must concur with your observations and prediction of future legal action. This is not the appropriate place to discuss the politics of the matter, but in Australia some years ago such an action was initiated, by a white employee against his aboriginal employer on the basis of discrimination. Being an excellent example of reverse discrimination, it was heard in court and well covered by the press. I understand the white man received good compensation and won the case. John Spooner. South Australia.  |  IP: Logged Kris Brunton Expert Film Handler Posts: 108 From: Napanee, Ontario, Canada Registered: Apr 2000 posted 03-25-2003 09:44 AM                     IN the booth we were allowed to dress casually, the only thing was no shorts, but living in Northern Ontario that was hardly a problem  |  IP: Logged Robert E. Allen Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1078 From: Checotah, Oklahoma Registered: Jul 2002 posted 03-25-2003 02:27 PM                     I believe what the staff wears either shows respect for the customers or a lack of respect. The projectionist should not be required to wear a uniform if there is no public contact (I was a little suprized by the booth being too hot comment. Don't they use room exhaust and air conditioning systems these days?) The manager should wear something other than street clothes (or on top of street clothes) that makes him/her clearly identifiable (in the past it was a tux). The staff in the concession area should wear something that says "sanitary" or at least "clean".  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 03-25-2003 05:31 PM                        I remember when I was kid we had a very large single screen theater, the MGM, which died in the mid 70s. The ushers there wore red tails with golden lace and a red cylinder hat. And whites gloves too, I think.  |  IP: Logged Carl Martin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1424 From: Oakland, CA, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 03-25-2003 06:33 PM                        presentation should be what happens on the screen. nitpicking about staff appearance is just a reflection of our image-obsessed society. think about it. these policies are all about looking professional and hiding stains. what's important is being professional and being clean (at least when it comes to food service). why is it that bigger chains have more strict dress codes? simple. when checkers and executives are in town and make their rounds, they can see at a glance whether their image is up to snuff and don't need to worry about the actualities. if all the decisions are made locally, they are made by people who interact with the staff and see the operations on a daily basis. they don't need to see a tie to tell them what's up. the independent theaters around here appear to have no dress code whatever. some might have a general "look nice" policy, some might not. but i'm going to go out on a limb and say that no customers care. do you really think customers feel insulted by what staff wear? please. unless someone's wearing a shirt that says "fuck you" or something, this just isn't an issue. if recognizing staff is an issue, and that can be legitimate, then a pin or t-shirt will suffice. usually it's not that hard to figure out that the person at the door is an employee, although we recently had someone pose as a ticket taker to steal a ticket (despite the fact that we have uniforms). when you initiate a dress code you legitimate a whole slew of societal prejudices and open up a can of worms (sexism, etc.). what's important is whether your popcorn-server washed his or her hands after wiping his/her ass, not whether he/she is wearing a tie (covered in butter from dipping into the popcorn). carl  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 03-25-2003 06:41 PM                     John, this is very much so an appropriate place to discuss legal matters and discrimination.  |  IP: Logged John Scott Master Film Handler Posts: 252 From: Oakdale, MN, USA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 03-25-2003 10:01 PM                     The policy at the theatre I manage is the following: Management including Assistants -- required to wear business dress attire (dress pants and shoes, button down dress shirt, tie, and sport coat) Non-Vending floor staff -- Full Tuxedo (females have the option of wearing tuxedo pants or tuxedo skirt) Vendors -- Full Tuxedo uniform, but instead of the jacket they must wear an apron (Females have the option of wearing tuxedo pants or tuxedo skirt). All employees in the vending stand must wear a vending hat under health department regulations. Projectionists -- If the projectionist in question doesn't have any floor responsibilities, their uniform is business casual (no jeans, t-shirts, or shorts). They can wear tennis shoes. If they have floor responsibilities, its business formal dress, although they do not have to wear a tie or sport coat.  |  IP: Logged Barry Martin Expert Film Handler Posts: 203 From: Newington, CT USA Registered: Jul 2002 posted 03-25-2003 11:48 PM                        As far as people being able to recognize you as an employee and whether people care or not, I always thought it funny that when I went out into the Mall on break or after/before work to get something that people would ask me where this is, or how much that is. Even if I was in a store such as Old Navy which has a dress code completely opposite of mine. I don't think people pay that much attention to how good you look, but to whether you look like a worker or not. As for booth clothes, we went back and forth from the uniform, which sucked because it was dress pants and shoes with a thick button-down company shirt that just did not breathe at ALL, to jeans and any t-shirt. I usually preferred the t-shirt the company gave us when the theater opened just because I didn't care how many rips or oil stains the booth put on it. I did lose quite a few nice shirts to the booth.  |  IP: Logged Thomas Procyk Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1842 From: Royal Palm Beach, FL, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 03-26-2003 01:49 PM                     In regards to the "image" thing, I agree with you there Carl. I've been to some scummy, hole-in-the-wall multiplexes with dim, scratched projection, but the whole staff had spiffy, button-up shirts with ties and vests, looking all "1930's Movie Palace" in that dump. Who are they trying to fool?!?! What's even funnier is that half the time you have goofy, snot-nosed teenages who couldn't tell you how to properly tuck a shirt in if you held a gun to their head dressed in these so-called "professional" uniforms. A casual shirt and pants looks MUCH better than fancy dress clothes worn sloppily. But it's not always the employees' fault. They have to run around butter, soda, bathrooms, clean auditoriums, and carry dripping bags to the dumpster! The uniform should really fit the job. =TMP=  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 03-26-2003 02:11 PM                        Overalls!!!!  |  IP: Logged Timothy Ervin Film Handler Posts: 84 From: Oklahoma Registered: Jan 2001 posted 06-30-2003 03:42 PM                     The theatre company I previously worked for, had a very relaxed dress code. Employees and managers could wear nice decent street clothes including shorts!! The projectionist loved that. Now where I work , employees wear that god awful vest and bow tie thing and managers have to wear a tie except on Mondays when some of us wear jeans.  |  IP: Logged Rachel Craven Madam Moderator Posts: 2190 From: Pensacola, FL Registered: Dec 2000 posted 06-30-2003 06:57 PM                     Well, now that I changed theaters and work with Don I wear the same thing that he said in a previous post: a maroon polo shirt with the theater name embroidered on it and black pants. Very similar to the first theater I worked at, the shirts are even the same color. The manager/projectionists and staff all look basically the same.  |  IP: Logged Paul G. Thompson The Weenie Man Posts: 4718 From: Mount Vernon WA USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 07-01-2003 09:19 PM                     In the booth, just casual street cloths that are neat and clean. In public eye, neat and clean casual dress, sometimes with a pull-over promotion shirt, a company shirt, a white shirt, and black pants. No neckties, even by the manager. We don't believe in neckties. They are dangerous if you are confronted with a disgruntled person. If you want to or if you are required to wear a necktie, use the clip-on style so in event someone grabs you by the necktie to faciliitate a "punch in the nose" you can escape before being pulled over the concession counter and getting punched. Up here at NAS Whidbey, the military personnel dealing with the public wear the clip-on style, so I have been told....for that reason.  |  IP: Logged Eric Hooper Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 532 From: Fort Worth, TX, USA Registered: May 2003 posted 07-01-2003 11:30 PM                     At the General Cinema locations here in SF, before they closed, employees wore the classic maroon uniform and the managers wore a nice and sharp black suit and tie. I was always *very* impressed by this. It felt like I was being hosted to a very nice evening out. I've gone to independant theatres since then were the staff is just wearing sloppy baggy jeans and t-shirt and felt as though I was in a very low class establishment.  |  IP: Logged

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