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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this was a bit extreme?

16 replies

salsmum · 03/05/2014 23:08

My DP works for a large supermarket sorting shopping items and packing them for online orders (not seen by 'joe public) one of his co workers was asked to remove a lanyard that she had her staff ID on because it had a pattern of a Union Jack on it and it may offend other workers Confused.
My DPs place of work has a range of people from all nationalities working there and it was not worn by someone in an effort to be 'racist' but a lanyard that her Grandchild had brought back from a day trip to London...she was quite upset to be told she cannot wear it. Sad

OP posts:
AgentZigzag · 03/05/2014 23:11

It does seem a bit petty, but why is it so important to her that she wears it?

Companies come up with all sorts of random shite over what their employees can/can't do, if you want to work there you have no choice but to go along with them.

redandchecker · 03/05/2014 23:12

Very odd. I don't think it would offend anyone.

Gurnie · 03/05/2014 23:14

That is absurd. Yanbu.

FunnyFoot · 03/05/2014 23:15

Honestly they were being unreasonable. It is like being offended because a co worker wears a head scarf. You wouldn't.
Sadly the union Jack and St. Georges flag has been used to convey racist views which obscures the fact that it is just a nations flag and that is all. Means it is viewed as racist. Sad but true.

CoffeeTea103 · 03/05/2014 23:15

Yanbu, how ridiculous. Then again people get offended by the slightest shite these days.

WorraLiberty · 03/05/2014 23:16

She needs to ask for a copy of their policy to see if there's anything that covers this.

No-one should be offended by our national flag and if they are, it's their problem.

But if for example all lanyards need to be plain and not patterned, then she has to stick to the rules.

Original poster
salsmum · 03/05/2014 23:17

She wore it because her Grandchild had bought it for her and she has her phone on it usually but took her phone off when in work and just clipped her badge onto it...She's an 'older' lady and was really upset and surprised to think anyone would be offended by our flag in our country I suppose. I believe personally that everyone should be able to celebrate their own culture including our own flag.

OP posts:
AgentZigzag · 03/05/2014 23:21

Is it really something to put any effort into opposing though?

Even though I agree it's a ridiculous assumption that anyone could be offended by coming across a tiny union jack at work, why get the employers back up by arguing the toss?

Nobody's being hurt/oppressed/discriminated against, if you think 'it's just a flag why ban it' then it's just a flag and not important.

MrsTerryPratchett · 03/05/2014 23:24

It's not the other worker's fault that the Union Flag has been co-opted by racists. It's very sad and I'm glad designers like Paul Smith are working on reclaiming it.

You can think if it like the swastika. It is fine in some cultures really not in others.

WorraLiberty · 03/05/2014 23:28

Yes AgentZigzag if there is no actual rule banning it then I would kick up a fuss.

The reason I would do that is because I'm sick to the back teeth of our union flag and the St Georges flag being seen as 'racist'.

Imo it's time to reclaim it because they are not racist - people are.

And I don't want racist people to 'claim' something that should belong to all decent people if that makes sense?

It might be only a flag, but if that's the case why let people see it as a racist symbol when it actually isn't?

TooConfusedDotCom · 03/05/2014 23:30

Comparing the Union Jack to a swastika. Really Hmm

YANBU OP :)

morethanpotatoprints · 03/05/2014 23:35

OP, my ds works in a similar place and manages online shopping.
Your dp needs to be worried about far more than lanyards.
My ds has been told to get rid of 10 people from his dept, sacked not redundancy. Of course he is refusing to do this but they are finding any little thing to allow them to bring in more workfare.
If he works for ASDA, tell him to be careful.
There are lots of redundancies here at the other supermarkets too, although if you are keen, hard working etc, they might move you onto another dept.
I'm not sure what area you are in, but please be careful, for the sake of a flag.

AgentZigzag · 03/05/2014 23:37

I totally agree with you worra, our flag shouldn't be associated with racism, but (and I realise I'm talking as though the OP has any influence over whether the woman does anything about it when she most likely doesn't) I wouldn't see it as something anyone should risk their job over.

It must be better for any challenges to not involve someones livelihood, who's going to be stupid/brave enough to put their job at risk over such a big thing (in that it's a national problem and her challenging it would make no difference to that) at the same time as it being such a small problem (it's just a flag and can't be that important to her, surely).

SistersOfPercy · 03/05/2014 23:43

Goodness, anyone would think there was an election coming up. Oh, wait......
[Hmm]

MrsTerryPratchett · 04/05/2014 03:30

Comparing the Union Jack to a swastika. Really. Well yes. I just spent a few weeks in a country with them everywhere. I also spent my childhood in London where Jewish people and Black people were beaten up and discriminated against by people draped in the flag, couldn't go in pubs where it was displayed. OBVIOUSLY to most people skinheads and neo-Nazis aren't as bad as the Third Reich Hmm but the principle is the same. An innocent symbol can become 'racist' if people see it that way.

Catsize · 04/05/2014 05:06

I bought one of these in 2012. Official olympic memorabilia from, ironically, a supermarket!! Could she have worn it without comment in 2012 I wonder...

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