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Original poster

To think well done for the RNLI for sacking people with naked women mugs

166 replies

jnfrrss · 04/05/2018 08:48

Totally not acceptable to have naked women mugs at work! I applaud them. Nick Ferrari is raising my blood pressure minimising such behaviour.

I've never worked anywhere where naked women imagery is acceptable, even if they are covering their modesty

OP posts:
sciencemad · 05/05/2018 00:59

I work in a role where I manage volunteers.

We as an organisation are incredibly grateful for the time that our volunteers give. I, personally, am in awe of what they do.

That doesn't give them a free pass to abuse people, however. Our volunteers work with highly vulnerable people - they are trusted and in a position of authority.

sciencemad · 05/05/2018 00:59

I work in a role where I manage volunteers.

We as an organisation are incredibly grateful for the time that our volunteers give. I, personally, am in awe of what they do.

That doesn't give them a free pass to abuse people, however. Our volunteers work with highly vulnerable people - they are trusted and in a position of authority.

sciencemad · 05/05/2018 01:02

Sorry, posted too soon.

I would be horrified if any volunteer I had taken the time to recruit had committed an act that brought our organisation into disrepute. Our loyalty is with the vulnerable people we are there to support.

I would never just shrug my shoulders and tell the people I work with to just get over such repugnant attitudes.

Posters on this thread are making it quite clear that they have no understanding of volunteering and the resonsibility involved.

Personally, I don't want to be dragged from the water and given a cup of tea in a naked woman mug.

FFS these things aren't binary. Volunteers can - and should - be professional. It's not hard. Stop giving men excuses for things that they can so easily stop doing.

CadyHeron · 05/05/2018 01:03

Is there a link? As the OP just sounds ridiculous.sorry.
RNLI? That saves lives? Sacking people as their mugs aren't PC enough?
Hmm
Biscuit

sciencemad · 05/05/2018 01:08

RNLI statement:

"One volunteer was stood down for social media activity which targeted a member of the RNLI staff without their knowledge and used graphic sexual images which went far beyond banter. As a responsible employer we cannot take this sort of behaviour lightly.

There were also serious conduct issues in relation to content on mugs which again went far beyond banter. The photographs of the mugs portrayed in media articles are mock ups and are not a true representation of the explicit images that were actually in use at the Lifeboat Station. As a result one volunteer was stood down in relation to this issue.

The lifeboat station should be an environment where people are treated with dignity and respect. Our supporters, volunteers and staff expect the RNLI to act in accordance with these values and would rightly anticipate that there would be serious consequences for anybody who fails to meet these standards."

sciencemad · 05/05/2018 01:11

Graphic sexual images/explicit sexual images that went far beyond banter, according to the RNLI who actually investigated this.]

Sounds like gross miscounduct to me and I absolutely applaud the RNLI for their action. Volunteer workers should be held to the same standard as paid employees, which they have been in this cae.

ShastaBeast · 05/05/2018 01:15

Knowing the RNLI I trust they’ve made the right decision for the right reason. It won’t be just the mugs. They wouldn’t sack crew lightly, especially after the expense of their training. There will be more to it and the mugs may have just highlighted the issue. They are pretty media savvy too. It’s a great charity and in some areas it’s hard to volunteer as so many people want to do it. We will continue to donate.

LadyLoveYourWhat · 05/05/2018 01:32

Some of you are so credulous. If a story in the paper has you popping, then you can pretty much guarantee that you haven't heard the whole story and what you have been told has been designed to raise your blood pressure.

For those of you who think "brave volunteers" can do no wrong, I guess you think that the Save the Children and Oxfam scandals should have been written off because it's all for charidee. Or you wouldn't mind some perv copping a feel when they rescued or resuscitated you because, after all, they have just saved you from drowning.

MapleSap1 · 05/05/2018 01:43

I appreciate this is clearly about way more than just mugs, but the idea that mugs could be a safeguarding issue is ridiculous in a coastal community. My kids are growing up by the sea and if the day ever comes that I have to call the RNLI to find them I promise you I will not care if they have a whole wall devoted to playboy’s finest if they go out there and get my kids. Or anybody’s kids

Yep. 100% this

MapleSap1 · 05/05/2018 01:51

But the two things are not mutually exclusive are they? You can be a lifeboat volunteer without a collection of images of naked women. You don't have to say, "Well if I can't have my mug I'm not doing it any more and to hell with people drowning"

No you don't have to, but as a volunteer you can pretty much pick what rules you work to.

All those posters who have a problem with this, are you going to be signing up to do the job yourself? If you think you should have a say in how it's done, why not change the culture from within?

if they had been transphobic instead of sexist I can guarantee the feminists here would have found it unacceptable they were sacked

SparklyUnicornPoo · 05/05/2018 02:00

Oh FFS. It was a secret santa present with a male volunteers head photoshopped onto a supermodels body, was it really worth losing 6 volunteers over? the RNLI save lives, they risk stormy seas, rescue thousands of people every year, they go out to every call knowing exactly how dangerous the sea can be, knowing that they could die trying to save someone else. But hey, that's ok, when there aren't enough people to man a lifeboat I'm sure the people they would have gone out to save and their families will be comforted by knowing at least their are no mugs with naked ladies lurking in a cupboard, because really that is what matters.

@Sciencemad I say this as someone who has been involved in volunteering on a regular basis since they were 6 years old (an age I wouldn't have even reached if it weren't for RNLI volunteers btw) and as someone who really does understand volunteering and the responsibility involved the RNLI are not just your average volunteers. They volunteer to risk their own lives every call out and do a job you couldn't pay most people to do.

epicclusterfuck · 05/05/2018 03:31

As a volunteer you cannot 'pick which rules you work to'. I work with volunteers and they are trained and sign an agreement regarding conduct and behaviour. There are social media policies regarding what can be put on social media and bringing the organisation into disrepute would be a serious issue.

I have sacked a volunteer for an issue regarding porn and safeguarding. I didn't think oh well he is quite skilled I'm sure it's fine, probably just a joke.

BillStickersIsInnocent · 05/05/2018 03:35

“as a volunteer you can pretty much pick what rules you work to”

Really? So if I volunteer for the Samaritans I can hang up the phone if I’m bored, or if I volunteer in a school I can ignore kids I don’t like?
Just because I’m giving my time for free?
I really don’t understand this - I’m a volunteer and I follow the rules of the organisation...because otherwise how on earth does it work?

MapleSap1 · 05/05/2018 03:43

As a volunteer you cannot 'pick which rules you work to'

I didn't express myself well. I meant as a volunteer it's easier to up and leave. Nothing's forcing you to be there.

BillStickersIsInnocent · 05/05/2018 04:08

Yes that’s true - volunteers can up and leave more easily than paid staff. Do you mean then that orgs shouldn’t enforce operating rules applicable to all because volunteers might leave if they don’t like it?

JessieMcJessie · 05/05/2018 04:09

Brilliant statement from the RNLI.

Have those kicking off about how PEOPLE WILL DIE BECAUSE OF SOME JOKEY MUGS thought about the potential impact on RNLI volunteer recruitment if it becomes known as an organisation that tolerates sexist bullying?

Mousefunky · 05/05/2018 07:08

The world is becoming a pretty crazy place, very 1984.

ClaryFray · 05/05/2018 07:20

Didn't deserve to be sacked. But we seem to think it's acceptable to ruin someone because of one thing now a days. YABU.

AuntieStella · 05/05/2018 07:29

I agree with posters who are pointing out that at this stage it is likely that we have inely half the story.

RNLI has said it is aware of speculation on social media, but doesn'tconfirm that it is accurate:

"But the RNLI dismissed this in a statement, saying: “We are aware of speculation about the issue on social media but we want to stress that this was not a trivial matter."

“The lifeboat station should be an environment where people can expect to be treated with dignity and respect."

“We cannot allow bullying, harassment or discrimination in what should be a safe and inclusive environment and there will be serious consequences for anybody who demonstrates this behaviour within the RNLI."

I wonder if this will come to tribunal - can that happen with volunteers? Because the social media version beggars belief, and if it's wrong it needs to be shown to be wrong and it be damned.

BillStickersIsInnocent · 05/05/2018 08:07

Tribunals only apply to paid employment contracts. RNLI have a complaints procedure which I believe the volunteers are using to appeal against the decision to ask them to leave.
I suspect there is much more to this than is being reported and I hope the staff in question are being supported as this will be a horrid time for them too.

TomPinch · 05/05/2018 08:14

From the RNLI press release:

used graphic sexual images which went far beyond banter

Which could possibly be nothing more than the aforementioned mugs.

Yes, we should not be credulous. But this means remembering that the RNLI have a vested interest of their own.

BeyondThePage · 05/05/2018 08:21

"directed at a staff member", "harrassment", "bullying", "discrimination"

The mugs were what was taken to the newspapers by the sacked staff in order to minimise some poor sod's inappropriate experiences at work.

Sounds like they are taking their responsibilities as employers seriously and are not willing to prejudice an ongoing investigation - so they have to take the flack over "just a mug"

epicclusterfuck · 05/05/2018 08:33

Those pictures of mugs are not the actual mugs! Daily mail online describes them as a 'mock up' so we have no way of knowing how bad the actual images were.

GnotherGnu · 05/05/2018 08:40

if the day ever comes that I have to call the RNLI to find them I promise you I will not care if they have a whole wall devoted to playboy’s finest if they go out there and get my kids. Or anybody’s kids

You may care if there is no RNLI to go out and get your kids because a culture of bullying means they've all left and the RNLI can't recruit more members.

Juells · 05/05/2018 08:41

@ClaryFray

Didn't deserve to be sacked. But we seem to think it's acceptable to ruin someone because of one thing now a days. YABU.

I don't understand how people can be so credulous. One thing, my arse.