Posted on 10/31/2004 11:40:54 AM PST by SmithL
ROANOKE -- For telephone company CEO Norm Mason, a vegan and lifelong animal lover, there was never any doubt what he'd offer at his company cafeteria.
Soy steaks and soy sloppy joes, veggie burgers, nachos and other meatless, eggless, butter-free delicacies are cooked daily using heavy bags of texturized vegetable protein.
If that doesn't sound so great, consider this: It's all free.
Mason says he created the "Vegeteria" out of concern for the well-being of his 200 employees of Cat Communications International. So he's giving them all the fresh vegetables, meat substitutes, cakes and drinks they could ever want.
"This was a way to say: 'Look, we don't feel it's right to have the flesh of an animal, an animal killed for your benefit,"' Mason said. "I see it no different than smoking. People are asked to go outside and smoke."
It also will hopefully teach them respect for animals, he says, a value symbolized by Lucille, the paralyzed dog he adopted that follows workers around on a little wheeled contraption.
Bruce Friedrich, a spokesman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, says Mason is part of a growing number of vegetarian and vegan CEOS, including Steve Jobs of Apple Computers Inc., Michael Eisner from Walt Disney Co., John Mackey of Whole Foods Market Inc. and Bill Ford of Ford Motor Co., who have made it easier for employees to eat meat-free.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
RS, read my post #92.
Perhaps a free cafeteria would be fine too.
Veggies aren't food, veggies are what food eats.
Had I read the article, I would have noticed.
Does he ban yoghurt? Are live bacteria animals?
And if this company prohibited employees from buying lunch off-site, that would be relevant to this thread.
Meant in a nice way, of course.
" Of course, it'll eventually backfire since after the high of getting free food wears off, those employees will still want raises. Then Cat Communications will have to charge for the swill or water it down... "
... employees always want raises... so ?
That dosen't mean he has to give it to them or cut back on anything. I don't see your point. He can start to charge for the swill or water it down or go from two-ply to single-ply without asking their permission. Cat Commmunications does not HAVE to do anything...
I guess you lost the point of my comment. I was looking at part of the story from a liberal perspective to bring Mason's stupidy more into view.
Mason is a liberal, so it's hard to think that he'd not give in to a raise when his employees start to whine. Between the rising wages and other costs and the added "freebies" of the "free" food, something will eventually have to give... either his profits or the freebies. It can't go on forever.
"Mason is a liberal"
He may be a liberal, but you don't get to be, or stay the CEO of a company by giving your employees raises every time they start to whine.
The liberal give up his little personal quest to satisfy the desires of the masses who may not believe in his ideals ? unthinkable !
( he'll just raise the price of his products to the consumer )
You cannot, it is now the default.
Nutrition is very important, that's why I eat lotsa red meat ~ I'm having a big juicy barbequed, med rare fillet mignon steak and a tossed gren salad tonight.
Ya can't get more nutritious than that!
Talk about IMPOSING ones foolish beliefs on another!
GEESH!
People need to eat MEAT. It's good for you.
free?
(s)so only RICH people are allowed to eat meat?!?! ONLY RICH PEOPLE GET STEAKS!!!!
Time for a government subsidized employee cafeteria!!!!!(/s)
I wonder how many peperoni pizzas are delivered.
Are all vegans liberals, or are they just the ones that get the press?
If it's free, it's for me. Who knows what's in all those happy hour free buffets, but I never complained.
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