Don't put political messages on the destination display

[Tetchytyke]

What I have far more of issue with is the pathetic grass who was so 'offended' that they felt the need to publicise it

Who says they were offended? They could just as easily have been cheering the insight and intelligence of the person who wrote it.

Making public political statements using your employer's name will see you disciplined in just about all walks of life. And it's not about whether one agrees with the political statement being made.

The SWT staff member is perfectly entitled to his political views. What he isn't entitled to do is plaster them all over a train, leading to the implication that those political views are those of SWT.

As for this being "snitching", he wrote it on the side of a train in public service for crying out loud. One can only assume he wanted people to see it.

 

[Darandio]

TWhat I have far more of issue with is the pathetic grass who was so 'offended' that they felt the need to publicise it . I come from a generation where snitches were taken round the back of the p.e block and given a good kicking.

So the fact that it was plastered on a destination board for potentially thousands to see wasn't publicity already?

Snitches and grasses? = Hilarious

 

[BRblue]

You're absolutely right. But I suspect that the majority of their members are brexiters, probably because of their fear of 'migrants'.

And where is your evidence to back up that unsubstantiated claim?

 

[hounddog]

I come from a generation where snitches were taken round the back of the p.e block and given a good kicking.

And staff could ignore rules safe in the knowledge that they could cover it up, however egregious the breach. Happy days, eh?

 

[najaB]

Whilst political statements shouldnt appear on PIS screens Im in agreement that suspention is a bit much and that a good bottle and reminder to staff to watch what theyr doing would have been sufficiant.

With such a publicly visible statement about such a divisive issue, not only did SWT need to take action, they also needed to be seen to be taking action. A quiet word would have achieved neither.

Staff should now be in no doubt whatsoever that, while at work, while using company assets and representing the company, they are to be apolitical.

 

[6Gman]

I completely agree with you najaB, but can't help but feel SWT are being just a teensy bit hypocritical, given the well-publicised political proclivities of their owner.

SWT has no single owner.

Yes, Souter is a major shareholder but Stagecoach is a public limited company with a raft of shareholders.

 

[amateur]

Silly of the person to do so. Right to be suspended. Never discuss politics at work!

 

[GatwickDepress]

I come from a generation where snitches were taken round the back of the p.e block and given a good kicking.

That explains so much... :roll:

 

[Antman]

You're absolutely right. But I suspect that the majority of their members are brexiters, probably because of their fear of 'migrants'.

And that comment on here is surely equally inappropriate?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

The person who did it was very silly and irresponsible and may well pay for expressing an opinion by losing their job. What I have far more of issue with is the pathetic grass who was so 'offended' that they felt the need to publicise it . I come from a generation where snitches were taken round the back of the p.e block and given a good kicking.

Well I dread to think what generation that is:roll:

Anyway whilst I agree with the message it was a bit naughty!

 

[noddingdonkey]

And where is your evidence to back up that unsubstantiated claim?

It's as good as most of the other unsubstantiated (and unsubstantiatable) claims the Leave Campaign's propoganda is based on, to be fair.

 

[theageofthetra]

Getting back to the actual topic. On this type of unit who could get this information to display? Is it just the driver and can only be put in with the unit keyed on? Or could a guard, shunter or cleaner do it before it left the depot? I'm sure I read about a bus that had something rude on its display as a joke by someone in the depot

 

[t o m]

Well the RMT are encouraging us to vote leave, so I'm sure the person in question could be well supported!

 

[GatwickDepress]

Well the RMT are encouraging us to vote leave, so I'm sure the person in question could be well supported!

My union, USDAW, are backing staying in the EU. However I doubt my union would support me if I wrote "Vote Stay" on every customer's receipt at the checkouts!

 

[Harbornite]

The person who did it was very silly and irresponsible and may well pay for expressing an opinion by losing their job. What I have far more of issue with is the pathetic grass who was so 'offended' that they felt the need to publicise it . I come from a generation where snitches were taken round the back of the p.e block and given a good kicking.

That's not a mature way to act, is it?

 

[jopsuk]

Getting back to the actual topic. On this type of unit who could get this information to display? Is it just the driver and can only be put in with the unit keyed on? Or could a guard, shunter or cleaner do it before it left the depot? I'm sure I read about a bus that had something rude on its display as a joke by someone in the depot

I think it's primarily Guards at SWT that operate the PIS? I would have thought that SWT would be absolutely certain before taking action such as suspension. I hope that the staff member in question doesn't lose their job- a formal warning would seem to me to be appropriate- though of course if they already have warnings on record then that's a different matter.

 

[Harbornite]

Oh dear that will upset the PC Twitterati on here.

It's not political correctness though, is it? The member of staff involved should not have stated their political beliefs, but no one deserves to get a "kicking behind the p.e block" simply because they publicized this issue.

 

[theageofthetra]

I am not suggesting anyone should get a kicking or anything else- when I was at school you simply didn't grass on a pupil to a teacher. It just seems to be a mentality now to complain about the most trivial thing if they don't agree with it. Now if a passenger or a member of staff had seen a member of traincrew doing something that was dangerous that is something completely different. I can remember some time back being abroad and coming across a gateline employee who was clearly drunk and stank of Jack Daniels!- now would you report that?

 

[Antman]

It's as good as most of the other unsubstantiated (and unsubstantiatable) claims the Leave Campaign's propoganda is based on, to be fair.

Try the ongoing debate in the general discussion section :roll:

 

[najaB]

It just seems to be a mentality now to complain about the most trivial thing if they don't agree with it.

There's no indication that a complaint was raised. It could simply have been a Tweet that came to the attention of SWT's social media team. Such is the nature of social media.

 

[cjmillsnun]

I am not suggesting anyone should get a kicking or anything else- when I was at school you simply didn't grass on a pupil to a teacher. It just seems to be a mentality now to complain about the most trivial thing if they don't agree with it. Now if a passenger or a member of staff had seen a member of traincrew doing something that was dangerous that is something completely different. I can remember some time back being abroad and coming across a gateline employee who was clearly drunk and stank of Jack Daniels!- now would you report that?

I'm sorry but if a SWT train says Vote XXXX that suggests that SWT endorses XXXX.

Most organisations rightly remain apolitical, and whilst you are on their time, you are the company, especially in customer facing roles.

I would imagine that this wasn't someone grassing, but more someone from SWT discovering the image on twitter.

Misuse of company assets is gross misconduct (and making a political statement using a train's display systems IS misuse of company assets - Trainy McTrainface was a joke and that's fine up to a point, but this is different). Do not be surprised in any way if the person suspended loses their job.

 

[Harbornite]

I am not suggesting anyone should get a kicking or anything else- when I was at school you simply didn't grass on a pupil to a teacher. It just seems to be a mentality now to complain about the most trivial thing if they don't agree with it. Now if a passenger or a member of staff had seen a member of traincrew doing something that was dangerous that is something completely different. I can remember some time back being abroad and coming across a gateline employee who was clearly drunk and stank of Jack Daniels!- now would you report that?

I can see your point. I would consider reporting a drunk member of staff or any other safety hazard, but I wouldn't go out of my way to report this particular action.

 

[edwin_m]

I ask myself what would have happened if the message had been "Vote Stay" and had been seen by, for example, Boris?

 

[thenorthern]

Seems legit if you ask me to suspend staff, if I was to talk about politics or read about politics then I got to the house of commons or read the Daily Mail I don't go to a railway station. Also if we allow one viewpoint we have to allow them all.

Same about no politics on the railways goes to the "activists" who protest in stations and moan when the police stop them.

 

[HH]

And where is your evidence to back up that unsubstantiated claim?

It's an opinion, not a claim. Based solely on personal observation.

 

[me123]

It is correct to suspended the staff member IMO. This is not an appropriate place for a political message. As it's been pointed out, it suggests that the company endorses that political viewpoint, which is not necessarily true. It has the potential to offend customers who do not share the viewpoint, leaving the company with negative PR (as has happened here). Quite simply, it's not an appropriate place. I do not want my train to tell me how to vote. I'm not going to pay attention to it.

 

[dcsprior]

Suspending a member of staff isn't a punishment in itself, it merely allows the company some breathing space to look into things further. Given this, I can't disagree with that action.

I wonder whether the company previously tolerating/encouraging employees to do "quirky" things with announcements, displays, etc could've sent out confused messages about what was acceptable.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

 

[HarleyDavidson]

The simple fact of the matter is that thanks to that photo, what was probably done as a bit of fun, has been escalated to something far more serious.

The person concerned could be looking at a Clause 9 (dismissal) as everyone here and elsewhere has said it appears to be making a political statement on behalf of the company and it could be construed as bringing the company into disrepute.

The other thing that it could mean is that they take away the useful function of being able to put a correct(ed) destination on the PIS panels. Which is particularly useful during weekend engineering work or times of disruption.

 

[ScotTrains]

If the railways were still nationalised, would it have been OK to write vote xxxx, where vote xxxx is what the current government supports?

I guess it would depend on what the railway company/ organisation's policy is on using the pis displays.

 

[Harbornite]

I ask myself what would have happened if the message had been "Vote Stay" and had been seen by, for example, Boris?

Not relevant, as the "vote leave" message wasn't seen by Khan or anyone. If someone wrote "vote stay", they would also deserve criticism.

 

[najaB]

If the railways were still nationalised, would it have been OK to write vote xxxx, where vote xxxx is what the current government supports?

That's an interesting one, but I suspect the answer would be No since it could be seen as violating the purdah.