ABSTRACT
This chapter analyses how the labour market affected the day-to-day shop floor experiences and labour management strategies in the two restaurants. It examines the labour market context in the ethnic Chinese restaurant sector in Sheffield. The chapter focuses on three different groups of workers—chefs, kitchen assistants and front area workers—by discussing how the labour market shaped owner-managers’ control strategies and to what extent labour could successfully negotiate for their interests. It also analyses conflict, consent and the dependence relationship between the two parties. The chapter discusses how the labour market influenced negotiation power and the effort bargaining process between owner-managers and workers. It also examines how the labour market shaped the management practices and employment relations in the ethnic Chinese restaurant sector. The primary reason for students to search for a job was to alleviate economic pressures on their families.
