The Bengaluru police has come out with a sartorial solution to check the exploitation of women bartenders. The department has issued guidelines asking pub and bar owners to ensure that women bartenders are “appropriately” dressed. According to city police commissioner Shankar M. Bidari, the guideline includes a dress code for
the women apart from making it mandatory for pub and bar owners to furnish personal details of their women employees. It will also be mandatory for pub owners to inform the jurisdictional police while employing women.
Mr Bidari said on Tuesday that over 60 pubs and bars in the city have employed women bartenders. “It has come to light that most of these women were brought from north India on the pretext of getting them jobs with event management firms or as receptionists. Later, the women were forced to work as bartenders.”
The women are paid meagre salaries, not given enough food and even sent to other bars without their consent, he said.
“The number of women bartenders exceeds the number of available vacancies. Being deprived of a salary, these women are forced to entertain customers who tip them in return. Fifty per cent of the money collected as tips are given to the women and the remaining amount is taken by the owner,” he said.
The guidelines will make sure that women bartenders get paid better and one woman will serve a maximum of only four seats.
“They should also be given basic amenities. Photographs and details of the women should be submitted to the department and a woman should be hired only after seeking her consent,” he said.
Apart from identity proof, the women’s details should include the names of their parents, native place, the nature of their duty and marital status, he added. “The bar management should seek the permission of the jurisdictional police station before transferring a woman bartender or terminating her services,” he said.
For Mr Bidari decent attire means: “Shirt and trousers, sari, salwar kameez or anything that is decent. It should not be vulgar,” he said.