LNER apologise for Train Manager's language

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

You'll need to brace yourself for this. What the Train Manager said is really horrific. You can tell that from LNER's apology on Twitter.

London North Eastern Railway
@LNER Replying to @laurencec123
I'm really sorry to see this, Laurence, our Train Managers should not be using language like this, and I thank you for bringing it to my attention, Please could you let me know which service you are on and I will ensure they remain as inclusive as we strive to be at LNER.

OK, steady yourselves now. I attach a screenshot of the original complaint, which I saw on another Twitter account. The complainer has made their Tweets private, probably because of the avalanche of robust and forthright hateful responses to the LNER tweet above.

I trust the Train Manager has been sent for re-training (as it were). Poor bugger.

Ffs

Naval-gazing twat

All joking aside, if I had mobility issues and struggled with getting on and off trains, I'd be seeing red about this (and many people in that position are saying this on Twitter in no uncertain terms).

I feel Sarah Phillimore has hit the nail on the head, commenting about this, when she says one reason organisations are so keen to jump on this bandwagon is because they can tick a diversity box without spending any money.

My goodness me. Just looking at @LNER's tweets from the last day or so. They have, of course, got their hands full at the moment because of massive cancellations as a result of having to check all their high speed trains in case they've started cracking up. In spite of this, whoever runs the account found time not just for the above apology, but also for this: twitter.com/LNER/status/1392201792407187465?s=20

It's a gif of a line of sexless troll dolls with rainbow hair twerking, and the text underneath says 'Who hurt you?' It's in response to someone else tweeting 'This sort of complaint is exactly why most of the U.K. population has no time for the lgbt+_* people'.

Now, I don't run a social media account, but I'd have thought the best response there was nothing at all.

FFS.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. This is an emergency, please follow me to the emergency exit and I will get you to safety."

If only Laurence had listened, instead Laurence just stayed sat down.

I've been following this on twitter. Seems the complainant is an RMT union rep and they've used 'ladies and gentlemen' as an expression themselves. It's shocking levels of bullying.

The complainer in this case is apparently an RMT union rep and a Labour activist.

The ratio on that tweet is brilliant. People have no time for any of this shit. Some of the replies are so funny!

The LNER Director of Comms got dragged into the row:

twitter.com/KateLNER1/status/1392714132068110337

Although she gave it the brush off hopefully she got the message that social media teams taking the piss out of potential customers is bad for business.

I've been following this on twitter. Seems the complainant is an RMT union rep and they've used 'ladies and gentlemen' as an expression themselves. It's shocking levels of bullying.

twitter.com/criticalandcon/status/1392737109883097090

They have, of course, got their hands full at the moment because of massive cancellations as a result of having to check all their high speed trains in case they've started cracking up. In spite of this, whoever runs the account found time not just for the above apology, but also for this:

I think all that tells us is that the person who tweets doesn't have anything important to do. I suspect this is a good thing.

I blame Parliament, ultimately. The Equality Act doesn't seem to have been drafted with enough precision to make it crystal clear what the protected characteristic of gender reassignment actually means, and who therefore gets protection from unfair discrimination.

Of course, Stonewall et al are also to blame for convincing so many organisations and gender enthusiasts that gender identity is a protected characteristic, which is wrong in law. Non-binary has no status in law at all, but you wouldn't know this from the way many organisations have changed policy and practice in this area.

Meanwhile, people with other protected characteristics are discriminated against and nobody seems to care, far less change anything. Why?

@PronounssheRa

The complainer in this case is apparently an RMT union rep and a Labour activist.

The complainer should have been at work then surely? Skiving perhaps to cause mischief?

Oh dear, this is ridiculous and that tweet with the gif is so unprofessional.

@Alltheprettyseahorses

I've been following this on twitter. Seems the complainant is an RMT union rep and they've used 'ladies and gentlemen' as an expression themselves. It's shocking levels of bullying.

Because it's a power play, once again.

The way things work now means it's open season for this type of pathetic bullying behaviour and the way it's reacted to by individuals and institutions with self flagellation, and grovelling apologies promising to "do better" and "educate yourself" just encourages more.

There should be more use of the MN favourite "ODFOD" imo

twitter.com/leokearse/status/1392556684728545290?s=21

That 'please be kind' reply from the comms bod has got my goat

Following in the footsteps of Aimee Challenor then, responsible for the scrapping of "ladies and gentlemen" on the London Underground back in 2017.

"It started after Aimee Challenor, an equality campaigner and transgender woman, had an uncomfortable experience with Transport for London's Oyster helpline. After she gave her name, the phone operator said that the 19-year-old "didn't sound like a Miss." Challenor said she was "shocked" by the comment and later asked London Mayor Sadiq Khan to apologise. He did, vowing to investigate ways to boost awareness at the transit agency. Khan asked the transit agency to adopt the new greeting almost six months ago."

Personally, I don't think sex or gender is relevant here. I'd prefer 'Good Morning Passengers' personally. For a start, I ain't no lady.

Hang on a minute, I identify as a set of points and am continually being told by your staff that everything that runs late is due to me failing.

Fed up with it.

PMSL

I like AMScanlon's suggestion.... Are you going to add “& non-binary Laurence” to all announcements?

What? The director of communions defended that bollocks, and followed it up with a "be kind"

The LNER twitter team weren't "kind". Laurence wasn't "kind".

Fuck kind. Kind got us into this fucking mess.