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Uniform policy and political badges

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CC 72100

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As long as the badges are not too OTT or inflammatory in nature a blind eye is generally turned. Certainly i've never been pulled up.

Pretty much this - as long as there are not a silly amount, or the badges are particularly divisive (and I'd include politics in this - that's something for your own time) then a blind eye is most certainly turned.
 
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bionic

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Many Railway staff would be regarded as high earners by a Comrade Corbyn government, so would suffer most from his tax to prosperity policies. Drivers would be regarded as "too well paid" and payrises would stop while the poor nurses and teachers caught up.

Talk about turkeys voting for Christmas....

I don't see how that's like turkeys voting for Christmas. I'm a driver, I was one when it was nowhere near as well paid as it is now and I'm still one. I'm not motivated by the money and I like my colleagues in the guard, station, cleaning and engineering grades.

I'd rather live in a fairer society where teachers and nurses and all other essential workers are paid a decent wage and housing is affordable for everyone.

I'm not saying a Corbyn government would deliver all that but just that not all drivers cast their vote based on what they can screw out of it for themselves. Anyone who thinks the Conservative party of people like Boris Johnson, Jacob Rees Mogg, Chris Grayling and Michael Fallon is a friend of train drivers must be in cloud cuckoo land!
 

Minilad

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I don't see how that's like turkeys voting for Christmas. I'm a driver, I was one when it was nowhere near as well paid as it is now and I'm still one. I'm not motivated by the money and I like my colleagues in the guard, station, cleaning and engineering grades.

I'd rather live in a fairer society where teachers and nurses and all other essential workers are paid a decent wage and housing is affordable for everyone.

I'm not saying a Corbyn government would deliver all that but just that not all drivers cast their vote based on what they can screw out of it for themselves. Anyone who thinks the Conservative party of people like Boris Johnson, Jacob Rees Mogg, Chris Grayling and Michael Fallon is a friend of train drivers must be in cloud cuckoo land!

Absolutely this. All day long
 

Greenback

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In my working life I never saw any need to wear any kind of badge other than those that were required by my employers, eg a name badge. I don't think that causes, campaigns of any sort are an appropriate thing to display on uniform or business clothes, even poppies. I never wanted to invite discussion on something I happened to be displaying, regardless of whether that conversation would have been positive, negative or neutral. It's just a distraction for both or all parties.
 

Tractor2018

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I personally would ban all badges, union/LGBT/Cancer research/poppy et al.

Uniform should be just that. Either confirm to the standard that is set by the company or don't wear it at all and find a job that will let you dress how you want.

My TOC allows a union tie and 1 union badge within their standards.

I was once asked to remove the badge by an admin manager. One phone call and I was told to immediately report anyone telling me to take it off.

Another aside - I don't know if it's still the case, but our standards use to specify a minimum denier for tights when women are wearing skirts!
 

sprunt

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She fizzed even more when I refused to provide her with a valid reason for not wearing one. "Personal beliefs" was clearly not valid enough.

"I am honouring those who died for my freedom, by exercising it."
 

vlad

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My company don't specify Boxers, but I'm pretty sure they wouldn't want me taking charge of a train commando !!

In that case they should say so.

I'd hazard it's certain several of your colleagues have turned up to work without underwear, on at least one occasion....
 

tiptoptaff

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I don't see how that's like turkeys voting for Christmas. I'm a driver, I was one when it was nowhere near as well paid as it is now and I'm still one. I'm not motivated by the money and I like my colleagues in the guard, station, cleaning and engineering grades.

I'd rather live in a fairer society where teachers and nurses and all other essential workers are paid a decent wage and housing is affordable for everyone.

I'm not saying a Corbyn government would deliver all that but just that not all drivers cast their vote based on what they can screw out of it for themselves. Anyone who thinks the Conservative party of people like Boris Johnson, Jacob Rees Mogg, Chris Grayling and Michael Fallon is a friend of train drivers must be in cloud cuckoo land!

But I'm afraid many "modern" drivers ARE in it for the money. I'm not saying that other professions shouldn't be paid more, but it's not my responsibility to fund that. Or to fund free university. Repay student debt (which isn't even a proper debt or loan) or fund any more of Corbyn's ridiculous policies.
It's all way and good to say that now, but how many of us would happily give away £200-£300 of our salaries? Because that's the reality of it.

I haven't said their friends of mine or the industry. But, under this supposedly anti-working class government, minimum wage has never been higher and I've never paid less in tax than under this current government and I'm yet to see any major issues from it. You could flood billions to the NHS and we'd still wait weeks to see a doctor.

If I'm paying more tax, so are those above me. And to overly tax the middle to high earners and businesses would decimate our economy by greatly reducing our disposable incomes.

Socialist principles seem all well and good - take for example a cap on energy bills. But don't fear, I'm sure many workers on the higher middle incomes would be deemed well off enough to not require a cap, so in order to balance out their losses the energy firms would increase the uncapped rates greatly.

I would personally be far worse off under Labour. So yes, it would be like a turkey voting for Christmas!!
 

route:oxford

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I'd rather live in a fairer society where teachers and nurses and all other essential workers are paid a decent wage and housing is affordable for everyone.

Can you just clarify what you believe is a "decent wage" for a nurse? The absolute basic salary for the lowest band of Nurse is £23K, rising to £30K after 6 years service. Specialist nurses with extensive training can command £80K, basic.

Nights and Saturdays are time+30%, Sundays are time+60%

There's an affordable house for everyone somewhere in the UK.
 

route:oxford

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Wearing badges or symbols can make a difference. Oxford University is encouraging their cohort to wear a Rainbow lanyard to show support for diversity.

A mate at the gym has stopped wearing his though - he's fed up with guys, who see it as a statement of preference than support, flirting with him.
 

trentside

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I’ve always worn a union badge, alternating between different ones and then another railway related badge. I wear them on the same lapel on my jacket, which is almost always hung up in the back cab when I’m working a train so the passengers rarely see me wearing them.

Some colleagues wear a lot of badges, but I think two is more than enough. I suppose I could wear a third and put my name badge on but they’re all broken!
 

bionic

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Can you just clarify what you believe is a "decent wage" for a nurse? The absolute basic salary for the lowest band of Nurse is £23K, rising to £30K after 6 years service. Specialist nurses with extensive training can command £80K, basic.

Nights and Saturdays are time+30%, Sundays are time+60%

There's an affordable house for everyone somewhere in the UK.

You obviously don't live in London.
 

bionic

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But I'm afraid many "modern" drivers ARE in it for the money. I'm not saying that other professions shouldn't be paid more, but it's not my responsibility to fund that. Or to fund free university. Repay student debt (which isn't even a proper debt or loan) or fund any more of Corbyn's ridiculous policies.
It's all way and good to say that now, but how many of us would happily give away £200-£300 of our salaries? Because that's the reality of it.

I haven't said their friends of mine or the industry. But, under this supposedly anti-working class government, minimum wage has never been higher and I've never paid less in tax than under this current government and I'm yet to see any major issues from it. You could flood billions to the NHS and we'd still wait weeks to see a doctor.

If I'm paying more tax, so are those above me. And to overly tax the middle to high earners and businesses would decimate our economy by greatly reducing our disposable incomes.

Socialist principles seem all well and good - take for example a cap on energy bills. But don't fear, I'm sure many workers on the higher middle incomes would be deemed well off enough to not require a cap, so in order to balance out their losses the energy firms would increase the uncapped rates greatly.

I would personally be far worse off under Labour. So yes, it would be like a turkey voting for Christmas!!

The mistake you make here is in talking about socialist principles being applied to the current capitalist economic system. The point, however, is to change it. Too many people in this country would rather steal their neighbour's last tenner than both of them be given a fiver.

We are way off topic now, so going back to union badges... I've always worn one and never been told to take it off.
 

sprunt

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Can you just clarify what you believe is a "decent wage" for a nurse? The absolute basic salary for the lowest band of Nurse is £23K, rising to £30K after 6 years service. Specialist nurses with extensive training can command £80K, basic.

Nights and Saturdays are time+30%, Sundays are time+60%

There's an affordable house for everyone somewhere in the UK.

The affordable houses need to be where the people are, not just "somewhere in the UK". To use nurses as an example again, they can't all move to where the affordable houses are, some of them need to be in London.
 

route:oxford

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You obviously don't live in London.

Really? Can you tell that from my profile name?

Even without my profile name, 82% of people in the UK don't live in London so you'd have an over 4 in 5 chance of getting it right.

Or maybe you spotted the salary bands I quoted didn't include the London weighting?

I doubt it.

I suspect you've chosen to refuse to disclose exactly what you believe is a "decent wage" for a nurse. Perhaps that's because you had absolutely no idea what a nurse actually earns and have been forced to bluster and distract?

Just to be clear, my OH works as a nurse in London 3 nights a week, band 5 Agenda for Change. She turns just under £40K a year. She used to Tube it in, but thanks to the ultra cheap fares from Chiltern it brings her commute costs down to £5 each way from Oxford/Marylebone.
 

tiptoptaff

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Just to be clear, my OH works as a nurse in London 3 nights a week, band 5 Agenda for Change. She turns just under £40K a year..

YOU MEAN SHE'S PAID MORE THAN THE MAJORITY OF "OVERPAID" RAILWAY STAFF!?!?

This discussion is silly. As a colleague and forum member has said to me recently, the majority of people these days and do their jobs for the money. And they will not vote to take money out their own pockets - he referred to them as "shy tories"

No one will vote to take chunks out of their pay. That's just how people are these days. Myself included. And I'm not one bit ashamed to say so.
 

Bevan Price

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I think in a work environment uniform or not. Political badges are best left at home

Employers in the main want to remain neutral on politics for sensible reasons

I am self employed in a profession and keep my politics to myself if only because why leave yourself open to a client or potential taking a negative view of view rightly or wrongly by demonstrating your colours.

Think it’s just good practice to keep politics out the workplace , there is always a plenty of opportunity to discuss politics or campaign in your own time without infringing freedom of expression

Agree with the latter, especially if dealing with the public. I was told that one grandfather (who died long before I was born) wrecked his hairdressing business by trying to push his views onto "uninterested" customers.
 

bionic

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I suspect you've chosen to refuse to disclose exactly what you believe is a "decent wage" for a nurse. Perhaps that's because you had absolutely no idea what a nurse actually earns and have been forced to bluster and distract?

Very far from it. You are thinking far too much about all of this. It's just an internet forum - try to chill out don't read so much into things!
 

tiptoptaff

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Well, how may rail specific roles require you to do a 4 year degree at University?

I don't think the sarcasm came out well in my post - you were making the point that nurses aren't as badly paid as being suggested - I also agree and know they're not.
 

nw1

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Union badges have always been allowed everywhere I've worked. Personally I like to see it.

Poppies and other charity symbols aren't offensive to me: The only offensive thing about poppies are the individuals and organisations who get angry at those who choose not to wear one.

Political party badges though, I can see that causing a bit of an issue. If a member of frontline railway staff was wearing a Conservative party badge i'd want them immediately stood down and tested for drugs and alcohol!

Away from the railway, it amazed me that a kebab shop somewhere in Portsmouth was adorned with 'Vote Tory' posters earlier this year, or possibly last year. OK, as a private business they have the right to do that; but do they not appreciate it's bad business sense as people who dislike the Tories are likely to go elsewhere for their kebabs as a result? Always amazes me when businesses with competitors within walking distance make strident political statements that are likely to put off half their potential customers.
 

tiptoptaff

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Away from the railway, it amazed me that a kebab shop somewhere in Portsmouth was adorned with 'Vote Tory' posters earlier this year, or possibly last year. OK, as a private business they have the right to do that; but do they not appreciate it's bad business sense as people who dislike the Tories are likely to go elsewhere for their kebabs as a result? Always amazes me when businesses with competitors within walking distance make strident political statements that are likely to put off half their potential customers.

Hampshire is very Blue though. Aside from the recent election, it almost exclusively votes Tory. So I'd wager that "Vote Labour" posters would be more damaging to business
 

NorthernSpirit

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Hampshire is very Blue though. Aside from the recent election, it almost exclusively votes Tory. So I'd wager that "Vote Labour" posters would be more damaging to business

So is Berkshire, Wiltshire, parts of Yorkshire e.g. Calder Valley, Sussex and Lincolnshire. Either way it wouldn't bother me at all if I saw a railwayman adorned with a Vote UKIP badge or a Conservative laynard on - it might with their fellow colleauges but each to their own.
 

takno

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Hampshire is very Blue though. Aside from the recent election, it almost exclusively votes Tory. So I'd wager that "Vote Labour" posters would be more damaging to business
On the other hand the national move in the recent election was partly a hefty swing from disinterest towards Labour among the people under 45, with an even more pronounced lean in the under 25s. I would guess that the main consumers of kebabs are the under 30s, even in Hampshire.

That said, I think most people would just buy the kebab anyway, and as long as they don't get it all down their uniform then I think we are fine.
 

greyman42

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Away from the railway, it amazed me that a kebab shop somewhere in Portsmouth was adorned with 'Vote Tory' posters earlier this year, or possibly last year. OK, as a private business they have the right to do that; but do they not appreciate it's bad business sense as people who dislike the Tories are likely to go elsewhere for their kebabs as a result? Always amazes me when businesses with competitors within walking distance make strident political statements that are likely to put off half their potential customers.
I would doubt that anyone using the shop would care less about the sticker. Also, why would anyone anywhere in the country who was running their own business vote Labour? Regarding union paraphernalia, I find it all a bit childish. I don't see any need to wear any of it.
 

380101

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The ScotRail policy is that only official union badges and union ties are allowed.

Doesn't get enforced though. ScotRail management have enough to fix without hounding hard working, demoralised staff for wearing a badge that isnt union related.
 
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