Company bans England World Cup wallcharts

**Ash** · 08/06/2006, 3:20 PM

Company bans England World Cup wallcharts
08/06/2006 - 15:48:12

Northern Ireland�s largest manufacturer has banned England wallcharts
during the World Cup.

Senior management at aircraft company Shorts told workers the
St George Cross would be in breach of the company�s neutral
working environment policy.

Some of the 5,300 employees at the Bombardier Aerospace-owned
firm complained bitterly today at the strict code and urged a rethink.

In the meantime, the company said it is distributing wallcharts without
England flags or the colours of any of the other 31 competing
nations.

Full Story Here

**dcfcsteve** · 09/06/2006, 11:56 AM

A bit OTT - though Shorts did have a history in the 80's of thoroughly unnecessary displays of Loyalist emblems etc on its factory floor by staff. A very intimidating atmosphere for the miniscule number of Catholics who worked there at the time.

Luckily those bad old days are gone. Whilst I can understand them still being tetchy about flags and emblems, this is a bit of an over-reaction to be fair.

**sligoman** · 10/06/2006, 9:49 AM

Fair point I think. On the opposite I saw in a paper yesterday that the Ukrainan(sp?) government were appealing to employers to allow a half day on the days they were playing

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**First** · 21/06/2006, 12:31 PM

Originally Posted by sligoman

Fair point I think. On the opposite I saw in a paper yesterday that the Ukrainan(sp?) government were appealing to employers to allow a half day on the days they were playing

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And if the Polish gov.do the same there wont be a thing done in Ireland

**Ash** · 21/06/2006, 3:16 PM

Actually I heard of a company who gave all employees half days or something
to watch the Ireland games in the last World Cup but this year a French and
Spanish (I think) employee asked about getting time off to watch their
countries play (3pm kickoff) and they were told no that they'd have to take
the time out of their annual leave!

**NeilMcD** · 26/06/2006, 1:02 PM

Seems fair enough as people could be taking time off for anything if they like. This is Ireland we live in so its fair enough if we are in the world cup that a company gives people the time off for the match or lets them watch it in work etc. Not sure the same should apply for every other country that is in the tournament.

**Dodge** · 26/06/2006, 1:41 PM

Originally Posted by NeilMcD

Seems fair enough as people could be taking time off for anything if they like. This is Ireland we live in so its fair enough if we are in the world cup that a company gives people the time off for the match or lets them watch it in work etc. Not sure the same should apply for every other country that is in the tournament.

Its also fair enough idf the company don't give time off for ireland games. No big deal tbh

**NeilMcD** · 26/06/2006, 1:47 PM

I agree.

**Roverstillidie** · 26/06/2006, 3:08 PM

Originally Posted by NeilMcD

Seems fair enough as people could be taking time off for anything if they like. This is Ireland we live in so its fair enough if we are in the world cup that a company gives people the time off for the match or lets them watch it in work etc. Not sure the same should apply for every other country that is in the tournament.

but it is a textbook example of discrimination. you cant treat one race preferentially to another in the workplace.

put another way, if they gave men time off but not broads, what would the reaction be?

**NeilMcD** · 26/06/2006, 3:12 PM

Not discrimination at all, I presume everybody got off for the Ireland game. The offer was to be off for the Ireland game not for your team. If they only let Irish people off that would be discrimination. It is not treating one race over another. Ireland are playing the game is in Ireland, as a goodwill gesture and the to combat the fact that eveybody will take sick days, they give a few hours off or a half day off for the Ireland game. This does not mean they then are obliged to give people days off for any sportilng occassion.

**sligoman** · 26/06/2006, 3:15 PM

Originally Posted by NeilMcD

Not discrimination at all, I presume everybody got off for the Ireland game. The offer was to be off for the Ireland game not for your team. If they only let Irish people off that would be discrimination. It is not treating one race over another. Ireland are playing the game is in Ireland, as a goodwill gesture and the to combat the fact that eveybody will take sick days, they give a few hours off or a half day off for the Ireland game. This does not mean they then are obliged to give people days off for any sportilng occassion.

Exactly, it's Ireland so everybody got off, not just Irish people! How is that discrimination RTID

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