BBC Response to 'Perks' Complaint

Stroppyreaders may remember that I complained to the BBC about their use of the word 'perks' to describe BA cabin crew's travel allowances. Here is Auntie Beeb's response ...

Dear Ms Booth

Reference 10172

Thank you for your e-mail regarding BBC News.

I understand that you’re unhappy with the content of recent reports as you feel the term ‘perks’ is inappropriate and offensive when referring to British Airways staff travel concessions.

I can assure you that no harm or offence is intended and we’re well aware of our commitment to impartiality. Certainly, we don’t aim to denigrate the work done by BA staff in any way.

I appreciate you may continue to disagree with this, however, so I've registered your strong comments on our audience log. This is a daily internal report of audience feedback which we circulate to all BBC News staff, including their senior management. It ensures that your concerns are circulated and considered across the BBC.

Thanks again for taking the time to contact us.

They Are Not Perks, They Are Rights

Having heard the BBC News refer to BA cabin crew's "travel perks" once too often, I have submitted the following complaint to the BBC ...

I object to the repeated use by BBC News of the term "perks" to describe British Airways cabin crew's travel concessions. The term "perks" is highly subjective - it suggests something unearned, undeserved and which a person could easily do without.

In fact, the travel concessions are essential for many staff to remain in work, and are a well-earned part of their wages and rights.

As this issue is now the main sticking point of a very high-profile, highly-charged industrial dispute, the BBC should take more care and use a less loaded, more objective term, such as "travel concessions".

Support the British Airways Strike!

Tuesday Tossers: Gordon Brown and Andrew Adonis

The shared award of Today's Tuesday Tosser goes to Gordon Brown and Andrew (I refuse to call him 'Lord') Adonis for their disgusting comments attacking Unite members for striking back against British Airways' attacks on their jobs and conditions.

Workers who feel that their livelihood and security is under threat have chosen not to lie downs like lambs at the slaughter, but to stand up for themselves. Despite the obstruction of the anti-union laws, they have clearly demonstrated a large democratic majority to take industrial action. Good for them. What exactly, Mssrs Brown and Adonis - is "deplorable" about that?!

What is actually "deplorable" (although sadly not surprising) is leaders of a Party set up to speak for workers speaking so stridently against them. Shame on the pair of 'em.

Mind you, I'm not sure that Adonis counts as a Labour 'leader' in any real sense, as I don't remember him being elected by anyone, but I do remember him being a LibDem.

I imagine that had they been around a couple of thousand years ago, Brown and Adonis would have equally deplored the Spartacus uprising. After all, didn't that turn out to be 'suicidal', as they say the Unite BA strike is? Damn slaves, should just have buckled under and worked harder - keep the Roman empire in business in order to keep themselves in work. Should be grateful they've even got a job, blah blah blah.

No doubt our resident right-winger David Duff will slag off the BA workers and defend Brown's and Adonis' comments - but hey, that pretty much says it all.

Homer Hangs On

Stroppyblog's original Wanker of the Week / Friday Fuckwit - Derek Simpson - has crawled back into office as General Secretary of Unite, following a less-than-impressive victory with just 38% of the vote on a woeful 12% turnout. My calculations tell me that means that just four-and-a-half per cent of his members want Derek to be their leader.

Simpson also polled just two-thirds of the votes that he received when first elected in 2002, when he beat Ken Jackson by 89,521 votes to 89,115. Perhaps the better his members know Derek Simpson, the less they like him.

Jerry Hicks came second with 25%, with right-winger Kevin Coyne trailing in third with 19% and some other geezer 1% behind him.

Goodness, makes you wonder what a credible left-wing candidate could have achieved.

Boycott Lil-Lets

Women are being urged to boycott Lil-lets sanitary products as part of a campaign to save workers' pensions.
Around 150 people lost their jobs when the company - now owned by private equity - shut its last UK factory, "exporting" the work to Taiwan and Poland.
Now the Unite union has made a "period drama" highlighting the plight of 46 members they claim will lose a third of their pension. The union is posting the film on YouTube and its own website in an effort to shame Lil-lets' new bosses into a more generous settlement.
Unite leader Derek Simpson claimed that it would cost the company £1.7million to let the workers "retire with dignity" on a full pension.

He said: "The power of the internet lets unions reach out to millions of people and influence their choices."